Chelsea are reportedly interested in renewing their interest in Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland.
The Daily Mail claims the Premier League champions are looking at the 24-year-old as a potential replacement for current number one Thibaut Courtois who has refused to pen to paper on a new deal.
However, the newspaper reports that Stoke value the England international at more than £30million.
Good news for Chelsea?
Of course Chelsea would prefer to keep hold of Courtois as he has established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in Europe but Butland would be a suitable replacement.
Although the Stoke man has been hindered with injuries in recent seasons, he has demonstrated that he can perform at the top level with some impressive performances in the Premier League over the years.
Butland has made a total of 53 appearances in the English top-flight throughout his young career and he has kept 16 clean sheets in the process.
With Joe Hart’s international career surely set to come to an end after the World Cup, Butland will be a candidate to become the nation’s number one goalkeeper.
Moving to Stamford Bridge would be the perfect platform for him to prove himself on a consistent basis in the Champions League and he could find himself as the main man with the Blues for the foreseeable future.
This Is Futbol rating: 8/10
Likely to happen?
This potential deal depends on Courtois’ future at the club as Chelsea wouldn’t be willing to sign Butland should the Belgian stay.
Butland would surely be interested in a move to one of the biggest clubs in the country although the report makes it clear that Mark Hughes is not willing to offload one of his best assets.
It will be interesting to see how Courtois’ contract negotiations pan out with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain reportedly interested but it is unlikely to reach a breaking point until next summer.
This Is Futbol rating: 5/10