Barry Ferguson has backed up Philippe Clement’s assessment that Rangers miss John Lundstram.
The experienced Scouser left Ibrox in the summer when his contract expired, joining Turkish outfit Trabzonspor alongside former Gers teammate Borna Barasic. He was replaced by Connor Barron on a free transfer from Aberdeen, with the Scotland Under 21 international having established himself as a regular under Clement so far this season.
And while the end of Lundstram‘s time at Rangers did not go to plan, with a red card at Celtic Park and defeat in the Scottish Cup Final to Celtic, Ferguson warned before this campaign kicked off that he felt his former club needed experience in the engine room. And he believes hindsight has proven him – and by extension Clement – correct. He told GO Radio: “They cut the budget in the summer, by letting players like Lundstram and Goldson go, who were the higher earners. They have reduced that by bringing in players like (Robin) Propper, who came in for Goldson. Barron is the same with Lundstram.
“But the manager has been given money to and spend on players. Igamane, £2million, Bajrami, £3m, Jefte was just over £1m so there has been money made available.
“I look at young Connor and Mohamed Diomande, and you can throw Nico Raskin in who’s a young midfielder. But I said it when the window was still open, even before the season started, that it was an area of the pitch the needed experience after losing the experience of Lundstram, who I know wasn’t everybody’s cup of tea. But he was 30. 31, he was a leader on the pitch and could communicate.
“That’s an area where I thought Rangers would have gone and strengthened. Even to bring these younger players on. I thought on Sunday looking at them they looked a wee bit lost.”
It echoes comments made by Clement at the start of the season following an opening day goalless draw with Hearts. The Ibrox boss said: “We had some who missed pre-season and others who are new like Connor Barron. You miss a really important part with Lundstram there too lead the team out of the midfield.