‘I’d love him’: Manager wants reported Rangers and West Ham target to stay

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Chris Wilder has admitted that he would ‘love’ John Lundstram to sign a new contract at Sheffield United amid reported interest from Rangers and West Ham United, while speaking to the Examiner.

With the relationship between the long-serving midfielder and some sections of the Bramall Lane support becoming a little strained, the last thing Lundstram needed was to miss a crucial penalty in Monday’s 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa.

Emi Martinez saved a poor spot-kick from the Sheffield United midfielder with the score at 0-0 and the visitors already down to ten men.

An hour later, thanks to an Ezri Konsa winner, the Blades were bemoaning a fifth successive Premier League defeat.

It is no secret that Lundstram is due to become a free agent in 2021 and, according to the Star, Rangers, Brighton and West Ham are watching the situation closely.

Although, according to Wilder, the fact that Lundstram is still playing week in, week out despite the uncertainly over his future speaks volumes about the midfielder’s focus and commitment to the cause.

“I would love him to sign a new contract. He might do, you never know. If it’s his decision to run his contract down then it’s his decision, no ill-feeling,” Wilder said.

“John’s a good character and there is no downside to him not giving anything less than 100 per cent.

“He won’t get in our team if he doesn’t, I won’t pick him. Supporters need to be comforted that, as always, I will do the right thing for the football club.

“I am not going to play a player who is not committed. (But) John has not been a moment’s trouble.”

Rangers have missed out on a whole host of midfield targets during the current transfer window, with Preston North End reluctant to let Player of the Year Daniel Johnson become the dynamic attacking force that Steven Gerrard is asking for.

But Lundstram, a man who scored five Premier League goals last season thanks to those perfectly-timed penalty-box bursts, ticks a lot of boxes for the Glasgow giants too.