Crystal Palace have been linked with a summer move for Jack Butland; it has been claimed.
Stoke City star Jack Butland could be on the verge of leaving the club in the summer, with the Potters demanding a fee of £30 million for the English goalkeeper – as per reports from Daily Mail.
Crystal Palace have been one of the clubs linked with Butland and a summer transfer to Selhurst Park could be on the horizon.
Should Crystal Palace make a move for him?
Crystal Palace have had their fair share of problems in the goalkeeping department this season. While Wayne Hennessey was undoubtedly their number one choice between the sticks, the Welshman’s back problem in December allowed Vicente Guaita to make a breakthrough into the starting lineup earlier this year.
But, even though the Spaniard has fared much better than Hennessey so far, most of the credit should be attributed to Palace’s improved defensive performance during the second half of the campaign.
And with Guaita set to turn 33 next January, Palace might be keen to sign someone keeping the bigger picture in mind.
However, a £30 million move for someone like Butland could be a little too far-fetched for the Eagles, who are already a bit shorthanded in the midfield department. In fact, the London outfit only have one bonafide creative midfielder in Max Meyer, who, in turn, hasn’t quite been able to make an impression in the Premier League since arriving at Selhurst Park last summer.
As for their current crop of goalkeepers, Guaita’s record of almost three saves per game isn’t a bad tally either for a Premier League keeper. Additionally, the Spaniard has kept seven clean sheets in 17 league matches, which is quite impressive given that Palace don’t generally look to shut up shop from the get-go.
Therefore, it would perhaps be wiser for the Eagles to invest in a creative midfielder or even a striker, with Michy Batshuayi’s loan spell set to expire at the end of the season while Wilfried Zaha has been linked with a move away from Selhurst Park.
As for Butland, himself, he definitely deserves a return to the Premier League next season and a move to Bournemouth could perhaps make more sense for the England international, especially with Artur Boruc, 39, running out of contract while Asmir Begovic is set to depart the club at the end of the season.
