Glasgow Rangers could still end the 2023/24 season with three trophies having reached the Scottish Cup final on Sunday afternoon.
Of course, the Ibrox side's biggest rivals stand in their way and the climax to the season could be enthralling as both teams go head-to-head for the Premiership crown.
In what was a marked improvement at Hampden following two dismal performances on the trot from his team, Philippe Clement now knows his team have to win their remaining five league games to stand a chance of claiming top-flight glory.
With the end of the season in sight, the Belgian is also focusing on his plans for his squad, including which players to keep at the club and who to move on.
There are six players out of contract at the end of the season: Ryan Jack, Leon Balogun, Jon McLaughlin, Kemar Roofe, Borna Barisic, and John Lundstram.
It looks as though all but one of their futures has been decided, as Lundstram could be set to sign an extended contract, despite interest from elsewhere.
The latest on John Lundstram's future
The former Sheffield United midfielder approaches the final few weeks of his spell at Rangers unsure whether he will still be at Ibrox next season.
According to the Daily Record, Lundstram had been heavily linked with a move to Turkey to join Trabzonspor, yet it appears his wage demands of £2m-per-year have stalled any potential deal from taking place.
Now it appears there is interest from England. That’s according to Turkish outlet Gunebakis, who claim that Ipswich Town are reportedly leading the line with regard to securing the signature of Lundstram.
The Tractor Boys are currently battling it out at the top of the Championship with Leicester City and Leeds United to see who will secure promotion to the Premier League.
If Ipswich return to the top flight for the first time since the 2001/02 campaign, it could perhaps tempt Lundstram back down south for a second stab at things.
In truth, getting his £22k-per-week wages off the wage bill could free up some funds for Clement to perhaps bring in someone much younger who could be sold for a profit further down the line.
John Lundstram’s statistics this season
While it looked like the Englishman was emerging as a key player under Clement, it soon became apparent that this was just a purple patch.
He has missed only one match since the Belgian took over in mid-October and, due to injuries, Lundstram has kept his place in the starting XI ever since.
The previous two league matches against Ross County and Dundee saw the midfielder deliver two poor performances.
Goals
0
Assists
4
Total duels won per game
3.8
Tackles per game
1.7
Accurate passes per game
64.9
Via Sofascore
In both games, he lost possession 12 times and during the defeat in the Highlands, the Englishman failed to track the opposition left back who ended up scoring the second goal.
Among his teammates, he ranks second for accurate passes (64.9), while also ranking fifth for key passes (1.4) and fourth for tackles per game (1.7) all per game, which showcases his talents across a range of metrics.
In some matches, however, his lack of dynamism from the heart of the pitch has cost the Light Blues and this is something which Clement will be looking to improve on next season.
If he does allow Lundstram to leave, there might not be a need to splash millions on a potential replacement, especially considering there is a young talent hopefully ready to make the step-up next term.
The young player to replace Lundstram at Ibrox
Despite playing the majority of his matches for the club at centre-back, Leon King could potentially be an option as a number 6 for Clement going forward.
During his breakthrough campaign last year, the youngster averaged a pass success rate of 88% across his 15 Premiership appearances, while also winning 1.7 ground duels per game – a success rate of 67% – making 1.3 tackles per match and being dribbled past only 0.3 times per outing, showing how strong he is during one on one battles, while displaying an excellent passing range which allowed the Gers to build attacks from the heart of the defence.
These attributes could see him shine as a defensive midfielder as it is a position that he has been utilised in when on international duty for Scotland U21s during their recent European Championship qualifying campaign.
Indeed, the four games that King operated at the heart of the midfield, Scotland secured wins over Hungary, Belgium, and Malta at U21 level, while slipping to a narrow 1-0 defeat to Spain.
Across those four matches, the 20-year-old was part of a side which conceded just three goals while scoring seven and it certainly looks as though his future – at international level anyway – lies in a more advanced role.
King hasn’t quite had the opportunities this season that he received throughout 2022/23, but this could all change heading into next term.
Former Ibrox defender Alan Hutton, who knows all about emerging through the academy to become a regular at Rangers, praised the defender in the summer of 2022, saying:
“I think when I did watch him last season, he was like a big Rolls Royce, very elegant on the ball. He came out, kept possession and looked very comfortable for someone of such a young age.”
Again, these types of attributes could see him make inroads into receiving more minutes in the midfield under Clement, rather than as a centre-back.
Much will depend on the transfer business which occurs this summer, as there will likely be a large volume of players both leaving and coming into the club.
The academy graduate should definitely be given an opportunity in midfield next season to fully showcase his talents and there is no doubt Clement will be keeping an eye on his displays for the academy and for the Scotland U21 side.
Developing youth talents could see the Gers make plenty of profit in the future, with King one of the players who could lead the team into a new era.
In The Pipeline
Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.
