Jack Butland 'to consider Rangers exit' as doubts emerge - Exclusive

Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland will be keeping a keen eye on the club's transfer activity.

The English stopper lost his place in Rangers' starting lineup last season. Now, he'll have noticed that the Ibrox club have been linked with several different goalkeepers.

Butland has a new boss to impress in Russell Martin, but it's unclear whether he's part of the manager's plans.

Butland might not be suited to Martin's style of play

Derek Ferguson believes Butland's days at Ibrox are likely to be numbered.

In an exclusive interview with Ibrox News, the former Rangers midfielder suggested that Butland's lack of natural ability with the ball at his feet could be his undoing.

Ferguson said, "I still think Butland is a top keeper, but is he going to be suited to their style of play? They want to play out from the back, and that's not Butland's strength.

"There is a top keeper in there, but in this day and age, the use of the ball with your feet is so important and will be under Martin. He likes his keepers to be good on the ball and brave in possession, so Butland is not the best option for that.

"Butland will also look at that and weigh up his options. It may be that a club with a different style of play would be a good fit for him. In his first season, he was superb, but he just let himself down a little last season."

Martin will need his new signings to gel quickly

Rangers have been engaging in a spending spree, having signed several players already this summer.

The speed of this recruitment drive is likely motivated by the crucial UEFA Champions League qualifying matches against Panathinaikos later in July.

Martin will want to be able to field a strong side for that match, but he'll also have to consider whether all these new signings can gel within the coming days.

Throwing a new goalkeeper into a team for a crucial match can be risky. In such cases, the back four won't be aware of how he plays and vice versa. It can be a recipe for disaster. So, it wouldn't be surprising to see Butland involved against Panathinaikos.

That might be his last contribution in a Rangers shirt, though. The Light Blues have been linked with a move for Carl Rushworth, a keeper who is more capable with his feet.

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