Rangers transfer news: Official partner shares ‘technical’ hitch in Jack Butland move at Crystal Palace
Jack Butland’s move to Rangers was already “signed off” and the delay has only been down to the now-expired option held by Crystal Palace, Heart & Hand report.
The ex-England keeper is reportedly now the third free transfer arrival of the summer for Michael Beale after Fabrizio Romano reported on Monday (5 June) that he had completed his medical as a “new Rangers player today”.
The Light Blues had been close to a deal for a while without a breakthrough on the former Manchester United loanee, but it appears the move was always set to go ahead once the extension option at Selhurst Park had been removed from the equation.
Posting on Twitter Heart & Hand wrote: “Butland deal hold-up was a technical thing – Palace had a one-year extension option which formally expired at weekend.
“Deal signed off previously.”
Impressive
Nothing is won on paper and if it all blows up in his face next season Beale will likely pay with his job, but initial signs are positive for the rebuild at Ibrox.
A major gap to Celtic that saw the Hoops complete a domestic treble was always going to take a lot of work to close, and with a set of major contributors leaving on free transfers there were gaps to fill either way.
There is a long way to go still but tying up three signings, all for no transfer fee, before the window has even opened is a good start – after Kieran Dowell and Dujon Sterling’s confirmed arrivals from Norwich and Chelsea respectively.
Butland surely takes Allan McGregor’s place as Rangers number one, despite the strong end to the season for Robby McCrorie, and represents a major job on Beale’s to-do list done.
Who will come in to bolster the attack is probably now the biggest question mark, after defence and midfield both saw new signings.
And while nothing can truly be decided in June for the next campaign, with Ange Postecoglou’s exit from Celtic to Tottenham reportedly now agreed [Sky Sports, 5 June] the landscape in Glasgow looks to be changing.
In other Rangers news, a surprise reprieve for one exit-bound Gers man could also see him return to the first team according to the manager.