Sport
Rangers have £20m superstar on their books as PL chatter proves Euro credentials
As Rangers rebuff initial interest from Nottingham Forest in goalkeeper Jack Butland, England manager Gareth Southgate might well be watching on.
The 30-year-old stopper is in the form of his life at Rangers with Jack Butland single-handedly – no pun intended – keeping the club in the title race in the early part of the season.
Making the transition from Ibrox legend Allan McGregor as painless and seamless as possible, the signing of the ex-Stoke, Crystal Palace, and England goalie has been nothing short of a revelation.
It’s piqued the interest of the Premier League – as we always thought it might – with Nottingham Forest told where to go when they called Rangers up about Jack Butland this week.
But we suspect that if the stopper continues in this vein then it won’t be long until he’s fielding another phonecall from down south – only this time from the corridors of power at Wembley.
Jack Butland has England chance
Once touted as England’s long-term number one of the future, Jack Butland earned nine caps for his country between 2012 and 2018.
Stints in the background of Crystal Palace and Manchester United damaged both the goalkeeper’s reputation and confidence in the eyes of the Three Lions’ hierarchy.
But there can be little doubt that’s being restored by the game in Glasgow with a string of heroic saves winning points at home and abroad for Rangers.
The role of Rangers goalkeeper has come at a perfect time for Butland who has confidence that he can work his way back into the England squad.
“All I can do is do what I am doing,” said Butland. “I haven’t been in that England squad for a while. If I said it was at the forefront of my mind, no. If it comes, absolutely I would love it.”
With Everton’s Jordan Pickford the current England number one, Crystal Palace’s Sam Johnstone and Arsenal second choice Aaron Ramsdale are the other options.
Jack Butland is very much in with a shout and when you consider ex-Celtic goalie Fraser Forster earned a Three Lions cap whilst playing at Parkhead, it’s not something which should be ruled out.
Rangers goalkeeper wanted by Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest’s failed bid for Jack Butland is evidence of a couple of things.
Firstly, if the goalkeeper is considered good enough for the Premier League – an apparent stipulation in the minds of some south of the border – then he’s good enough for England.
That Rangers have rejected the bid is evidence of his status in Govan and not of his inability to perform in the English top flight.
England manager Gareth Southgate will almost certainly will be aware of Jack Butland’s progress at Rangers and let’s just see how the second half of the campaign goes.
Secondly, it’s that Rangers have a rather massive asset on their hands in goalkeeping terms.
For such a routinely neglected position, Jack Butland is a player of genuine quality, class and distinction between the sticks.
Contracted to Ibrox until 2027 and English trained, a summer move might suit everyone but Rangers have a player whose valuation is touching £20m in the goalkeeper.
