Ibrox view: Door opens for surprise Rangers return as embarrassed Clement favourite set to leave new club

John Lundstram’s Rangers exit to Trabzonspor this summer has not worked out for either side with the midfielder now in line to leave his new side already.

The Englishman was one of a host of senior Gers players allowed to leave on free transfers as their contracts expired at the end of last season, as he headed for Turkey alongside Borna Barisic.

His exit came after a campaign where he espoused his love for the club [Ranger Review, 3 January], and Philippe Clement declared his certainty that an extension would be reached [Planet Radio, 29 March].

The Belgian has highlighted how his undercooked squad misses the 30-year-old more than once during a stuttering start to the campaign [Scottish Sun, 3 August] despite some disastrous form to end last season.

Rangers exit to Trabzonspor turns sour already

Clement may be ruing Lundstram’s departure but Trabzonspor apparently aren’t delighted to have brought him in, with boss Senol Gunes branding him “heavy and cumbersome” in leaked comments while indicating his intention to offload him already.

Gunes said, via Football Scotland on 8 September: “I cannot understand the Lundstram transfer. We have several players with the same characteristics. Lundstram is a very heavy and cumbersome football player.

“There is nothing we can do at the moment, but if there is an opportunity to send him to another team, it would be good for both Lundstram and us.”

Ryan Jack also left the midfield group during the summer, while Connor Barron arrived from Aberdeen, but the Light Blues have looked thin in the middle despite the youngster’s solid form.

Connor Barron a positive Rangers signing from Aberdeen

Clement wanted a senior midfield signing but was unable to bring in the likes of Kenny McLean from Norwich City or Joan Jordan from Sevilla, but now the prospect of reuniting with Lundstram has arisen.

It is unlikely to be a popular prospect among a fanbase that is rapidly running out of patience in the side after a thrashing at Celtic, with Lundstram’s form falling off a cliff last term as his exit became increasingly expected.

But if the former Sheffield United man has learned the grass isn’t greener elsewhere after being embarrassed by his own manager’s comments, and Gunes wants him gone, Clement could already have his eye on filling a Lundstram-shaped gap in his line-up with the man he never wanted to lose himself.

Unless Trabzonspor and Lundstram are willing to cut their losses and negotiate an immediate release it might take until the January window for it to happen.

But with the summer overhaul proving a disappointing half-finished job during the window Clement might see mileage in an emergency return for a man who was one of the first names on his team sheet previously.

In other Rangers news, a rival club have been left upset to lose a “different class” ace to Ibrox.

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