Philippe Clement has changed tack on John Lundstram, backing off from his 100% certainty about the midfielder signing a new deal, by pivoting to new language which stops short of such a promise.

After the manager put his head on the chopping board many weeks ago declaring Lundstram would sign a new deal, he has backed off considerably, and while still offering positive vibes, the language has changed a lot.

He said:

“There have not been any more talks now. For the moment, there will be in the future. I know both sides love each other so I expect a solution at the end.”

There’s a lot to digest – to expect something is not the same as to predict.

Expectation is a different thing to predict, which is what he did first time around. This time it’s more self-oriented language, where he personally ‘demands’ Lunny signs the deal.

It sounds a lot less confident than predicting that he definitively will.

But it’s what Clement also said about Lunny’s mood which shows how this situation has unravelled a bit:

“200 per cent. With John, I don’t have many hairs on my head, but there are none that has a doubt about that. He loves this club. He is full of passion for this club about everything. You see that in every reaction in training, in the dressing room before the game, during the game, after the game. There is not any doubt about that.”

Given the blatant lack of passion lately, the silence from the player and the massive downturn in his heart on the pitch, it’s clear to a blind man his head is turned and his focus isn’t on the club like it was.

Clement simply spins everything as positively in public as he can, not wanting to upset anyone. Well. Except Dujon Sterling, we suppose.

But being serious, Clement’s comments the past month have gone into full-on Pedro mode, as the pressure has told significantly.

He’s not quite howling at the moon yet, but we can’t take a single word he says seriously.

And he will really hope the apparently mega-passionate and committed Lundstram shows him some of that v Hearts.