Rangers: Derek McInnes shares Jack Butland exit prediction at Ibrox amid exit talk
Derek McInnes has claimed that any English clubs looking to sign a new goalkeeper will be looking at Jack Butland after his performances in a Rangers shirt.
McInnes insisted that the shot-stopper is right up there with the goalkeeping legends at Rangers and his performances for the Ibrox club will not have gone unnoticed.
This comes amid reports that Butland could be a target for Championship side Birmingham City, whose ambitious owners are looking to take them to the Premier League. [Birmingham Live, 17 October]
McInnes was speaking live on Viaplay [17 December, 14:31] as he insisted: “I think Rangers have been good for him as well. Playing regularly, he’s had a chance to reestablish himself, but honestly, he’s been outstanding.
“We’ve spoken often enough about how Rangers have a history of top-class goalkeepers, and he’s right in amongst that, he’s in great company.
“He’ll have to be pivotal again today to win a trophy. He probably came here to win trophies and to get himself playing regularly, but there’s no doubt that if teams in England want a goalkeeper, then they will be looking at him.”
One way to keep him at Ibrox
If Rangers want to ensure Butland doesn’t leave the club in search of the bright lights and big money on offer in the Premier League, they will have to prove to him that Ibrox is a place where he can win trophies and play European football.
These are things that, regardless of the money in England, can only be earned by a select few clubs and despite Butland’s impressive displays in Scotland, he is unlikely to be tempting any of them to make a shock move for his services.
Champions League football is always on offer for Rangers, whether it be automatic qualification through the league or through the playoff rounds where the Ibrox club were knocked out earlier this season, but even in that case, Europa League football is a high level.
Both Butland’s and the club’s European exploits this year have been well-documented after they topped their group, and it’s moments like the win in Seville that will make him want to remain north of the border.
In other Rangers news, Chris Sutton had a dig at Rangers live on BBC.