Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland has dismissed rumors of a summer departure, reaffirming his commitment to the club.
Speaking to the Daily Record, Butland addressed the inevitable transfer speculation surrounding him: “I signed a four-year contract with beliefs of winning things and winning lots of trophies – that hasn’t changed in my mind,” he declared.
The England international, who has impressed since arriving last summer, downplayed a potential return to England after rejecting a January bid from Nottingham Forest. “The club immediately said, ‘No,’” he revealed. “‘My agent said, ‘How do you feel about that?’ but it was a ‘no’ from me as well.”
Butland acknowledged his past experiences with top English clubs and the national team, but emphasized his desire to perform at Rangers. “I feel like I’ve done that and that’s always going to put you in conversations,” he said. “To generate interest means things are going well and things are going to plan.”
The 31-year-old, who has already won the Viaplay Cup this season, is focused on adding more silverware to the Ibrox trophy cabinet. “That’s all that my mind is set on, that’s Rangers Football Club,” he concluded.
Keeping the goalkeeper Butland is good news for Rangers’ new manager Clement. It gives him a strong starting point because there are questions about many other players on the team.
Butland is expensive (his transfer fee could be more than £20 million), so keeping him might make it harder to buy other new players. However, finding a replacement goalkeeper would have been difficult too.
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If Butland stays, it likely means the end for another goalkeeper, Robby McCrorie. McCrorie has been at Rangers for a long time, but he hasn’t been able to get a starting spot. Technically any player on Rangers could be sold if someone offers enough money, but Butland seems less likely to leave than some other players, like James Tavernier.