Ex Rangers star labelled 'very heavy' in bizarre row with club chief as transfer questioned after two months
John Lundstram has found himself at the centre of a bizarre row with Trabzonspor’s technical director after private comments were leaked of him slating the former Rangers midfielder.
Lundstram - who signed for the Turkish Super Lig club alongside ex-Ibrox team mate Borna Barisic on a free transfer earlier this summer upon the expiry of their contracts in Govan - has started five out of the club’s eight games across all competitions so far this season.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdHowever, his performances have left a lot to be desired and his place in the starting XI has now been questioned after their underwhelming start to the campaign. Trabzonspor were knocked out of both the Europa League and Europa Conference League in the qualifying rounds to Austrian side Rapid Vienna and St Gallen of Switzerland respectively.
Loading....
Their opening two league games also ended in goalless draws and 30-year-old Lundstram has since come under the spotlight with club chief Senol Gunes’ reportedly private conversations with the coaching team labelling him as overweight made public in the last 24 hours.
He stated: “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.”
The Black Sea outfit parted company with head coach Abdullah Avci - who recruited both Lundstram and Barisic - last month. Barisic’s arrivals was branded a “masterstroke” by Avci in July. Trabzonspor had also expressed interest in signing under-fire Gers skipper James Tavernier, but saw a previous offer rejected by the Glasgow giants.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdBut it’s Lundstram who has been the subject of criticism in recent weeks, with several fans also venting their anger directed towards the player on social media. One incensed supporter wrote: “Will Lundstram and Pedro Malheiro terminate their contracts tomorrow and send them away?. A second fumed: “Let’s not give Lundstram a shirt again. How many balls did he lose?”
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.