Stoke’s £30m rated keeper Jack Butland was expected to attract interest from the Premier League following the Potters’ relegation to the Championship in 2018, but the Englishman remaining at the Bet 365 Stadium came as a considerable surprise given the 26-year-old’s inclusion in England’s 2018 World Cup squad.
After Nathan Jones’ side failed to achieve promotion following a lacklustre season, reports from the Daily Star have suggested that Bournemouth and Crystal Palace are set to test the Potters’ resolve with a £30m bid owing to their own player-based complications between the posts ahead of the 2019/2020 campaign.
Eddie Howe has been faced with a dilemma in the most recent season, as Asmir Begovic was dropped in favour of Artur Boruc with the Cherries defensive instability leading to rotation in goal.
Boruc, 39, is expected to depart Dean Court following the expiration of his contract, whilst the emergence of youth-product Mark Travers, who debuted against Palace, will give Howe a selection dilemma as to whether a £30m move for Butland could add quality and competition to the Cherries’ goalkeeping options.
Palace, meanwhile, are also faced with the departure of a key goalkeeping asset.
Julian Speroni, 40, is departing Selhurst Park after 15 years at the club, and Roy Hodgson’s other options in goal in the form of Wayne Hennessey and Vicente Guaita may lead the club to consider investing in Butland as a long-term option for the club.
Despite playing in the Championship during the 2018/19 campaign, Butland has been included in Southgate’s squad for the upcoming Nations League finals, but if the Potters’ keeper is to continue progressing and make a claim for the England number one jersey, a move to the Premier League seems essential.
Bournemouth and Palace’s interest potentially marks a new chapter for Butland in his bid to develop on both the stages of domestic and international football, and a £30m bid may be enough for Stoke to sanction his departure ahead of the upcoming 2019/2020 campaign.
