‘Too good’ – McGinn wowed by what Rangers have done

Stephen McGinn has gushed over Jack Butland, questioning how Rangers managed to sign him for free, following the news that Celtic keeper Joe Hart is set to retire.

The current Falkirk captain appeared on the Go Radio Football Show where he insisted Celtic will have to be clever in their pursuit of a new goalkeeper, much like Rangers were about Butland’s arrival.

McGinn continued to insist that the signing of Butland was almost too good to be true at Ibrox, and after his performances this season, he has been proved right.

Speaking on the Go Radio Football Show [22 February], McGinn shared: “The Jack Butland deal seemed too good to be true [for Rangers]. I remember thinking ‘How are they getting him on a free transfer?’

“When you think of the criteria in England for having homegrown players and the experience he had and the age he was at, you are thinking that is too good to be true.

“He certainly proved an excellent piece of business. Celtic are going to need to get their thinking caps on to replace Joe Hart.”

Jack Butland has been outstanding for Rangers

In a summer transfer window which was full of errors and signings failing to prove their worth, Butland has stood above them all in his opening season at Ibrox.

His performances have been so impressive that a return to the England squad for the first time since 2018 is well and truly on the cards, as Butland confessed he has recently met with Gareth Southgate.

Butland’s form has been so impressive that the club faced a fight to keep him at Ibrox in January, with a late bid made by Nottingham Forest and another English club to lure him away after just six months in Glasgow.

With Hart now set to leave Celtic, the opposite side of Glasgow will be scrambling to find a new number-one goalkeeper – but it looks unlikely they’d be able to find one of Butland’s quality, which again highlights how well Rangers did to bring him in.