Rangers: Big money bid now fully expected for Jack Butland at Ibrox says BBC Sport pundit
Derek Ferguson is convinced a “big bid” will arrive at Rangers for Jack Butland in the near future because the goalkeeper is a “class act”.
The BBC Sport pundit suggested the 31-year-old has found the right club to get the best out of him, despite unexpectedly missing out on a recall to the England squad, as the former Crystal Palace man has rebounded from some years in the relative wilderness to excel at Ibrox this term.
Nottingham Forest tried to sign him in the January transfer window but were instantly turned down by the Light Blues [STV, 30 January] and the Englishman [Scottish Sun, 25 February], but a second attempt is now odds-on in Ferguson’s view.
“I’m fully expecting a big bid to come in for him. I don’t want it like a lot of the Rangers fans,” he exclusively told Ibrox News.
“The guy’s a class act. It’s quite surprising that his career’s stalled for a little bit. But sometimes you just find a club, and he’s found that in Rangers.
“And it’s not just his performances it’s eveything, it’s the whole package with Jack Butland.
“I think he’s the best goalkeeper. I watch the English game and Match of the Day, I know it’s only highlights.
“He’s a no-brainer, he’s top-drawer. Not just his shot stopping. His communication, his passing the ball. He ticks all the boxes.“
Rangers star to be key transfer target after missing out on England recall?
The Gers resisted any temptation to cash in at the earliest opportunity midseason, as the free transfer arrival next summer would surely be a huge boost to the player trading model in Glasgow.
With a possible domestic treble still on Butland will surely play a big role in any success that Philippe Clement can steer Rangers to, and the player himself seems to have quickly embraced life at Ibrox.
But while it may have come too late for him to go to the Euros now his recent snub might factor into his thinking if another Premier League side comes calling, as playing in the English top flight would seem to give him a better chance.
Either way he won’t be cheap by SPFL standards so the club should either be left with a top quality keeper or a hefty profit in the bank.
In other Rangers news, the Gers could be set for a “huge psychological boost” as a long-missing star could return to face Celtic.
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