Rangers would sell Jack Butland in £20m Deadline Day after Premier League transfer speculation
We’re delighted to welcome former Ibrox star Derek Ferguson as our exclusive Rangers columnist as each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points in Govan…
Rangers would only entertain selling Jack Butland on Deadline Day for a “crazy figure” of £20million, according to Derek Ferguson.
The former Rangers player said it would be a “scary thought” to lose the “absolutely phenomenal” England goalkeeper, who he rates as better than Three Lions number one Jordan Pickford.
STV reported on Wednesday (January 31) that Nottingham Forest enquired about Butland, while the Daily Record said it was another unnamed Premier League club interested in the 30-year-old.
Butland only moved to Ibrox on a free transfer in the summer and Ferguson ranks him among the great goalkeepers to play for the club and thinks only a huge offer would be entertained for a deadline-busting sale.
Speaking to Ibrox News, he said: “Don’t even go there!
“We got Butland on a free. Now I’m talking, and this is just from watching his performances this season which have been absolutely top drawer, and it’s not just his performances it’s the way he handles himself as well.
“He’s got a stature about him, he’s got that presence that you look for from a keeper, the fans absolutely love him, I’m talking nearly £20million before you’d even consider it, I’m telling you, he’s that good.
“I tell you what, he’s better than Pickford. I’m deadly serious and we have been so fortunate over the last number of years with goalkeepers, Andy Goram, Allan McGregor, top drawer and Butland comes into that category.
“He came from Manchester United and we’re going to get the best years out of him as well. He’s at a brilliant age, keepers only get better with age.
“I watch the highlights of English games and that, he’s been absolutely phenomenal and it’s actually a scary thought that we could lose him and I know money talks, that’s why I’ve maybe come up with that crazy figure of £20m, I think if someone came in £10m-plus they’d have to look it because it would be tremendous business.
“But how do you fill that gap? I know we’ve got McCrorie who’s more often than not in the Scotland squad but I just think he’s a level above everybody else up here in this division.
“I think he should be at least in that England squad for the Euros. It’s everything about him, it’s not just what he does in the game, it’s the whole package and that’s why the fans love him and he gets the fans.
“He gets the club, it happens with a lot of players who have come from England to Rangers. The Butchers, the Chris Woods, the Ray Wilkins, the Trevor Francis’, something happens when you come to Rangers football club for whatever reason they love it.
“The fans love Jack Butland, and Jack Butland loves playing for Rangers, long may it continue.”
In other Rangers news, another club now has the chance to sign Ridvan Yilmaz on Deadline Day.
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