John Lundstram is facing an uncertain future at Sheffield United, with the midfielder yet to sign a new deal at the Premier League outfit, according to The Examiner.
If it wasn’t for an extension clause in the contract of a Liverpool-born 26-year-old, one of the Blades’ top-flight heroes could be walking away from Bramall Lane for absolutely nothing this summer.
Fortunately, Sheffield United triggered that one-year extension.
But, with his new deal due to expire in just 11 months, there is still a very real chance that Lundstram’s 88th and final appearance for the Yorkshire giants will come in Sunday’s season finale.
The Examiner reports that the former Everton youngster has been in talks with the club for eight months now but an agreement remains elusive.
And with John Swift closing in on a £3.5 million move to Sheffield United from Reading (Star), setting his heart on the chance to work with Chris ‘Midas Touch’ Wilder, a replacement has been lined up already.
Lundstram has featured in 35 of the Blades’ 37 games since promotion, producing four goals and three assists including a clinical double in December’s 3-0 thrashing of fellow surprise packages Burnley.
But starts have been increasingly hard to come by of late, especially since Sander Berge arrived in a club-record deal and Ben Osborn belatedly forced his way into Wilder’s plans.
“I’ve got to say…I thought John Lundstram was outstanding when he came on,” Wilder told Radio Sheffield after February’s triumph over Crystal Palace.
“He’s come out the team for a couple of games. He’s been brilliant for us.”
It is almost not worth pointing out that Wilder would be loathe to lose one of his most dependable performers, a man who joined from Oxford when they were newcomers to the Championship in 2017.
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