Rangers fans would be forgiven for feeling a little confused amid new claims that goalkeeper Jack Butland is heading for Ibrox.
A new goalkeeper is an absolute must at Rangers this summer with Allan McGregor’s time surely coming to an end.
A number of options have been linked with Rangers of late but speculation surrounding Butland has been confusing in the last 24 hours.
We covered claims from the Daily Mail on Monday suggesting that Rangers had registered an interest in signing Butland.
However, that report stated that Rangers had moved on and were instead looking abroad for a new goalkeeper.
Just a matter of hours later, The Scottish Sun had a big exclusive as they reported that Butland is actually Rangers-bound after all.
The Sun claim that a deal is thought to be close for Butland – owned by Crystal Palace but on loan at Manchester United – to become Rangers’ new number one.
That is wildly different to the Mail’s claims and Rangers fans will now be somewhat baffled as they attempt to figure out which version is true.
Jack Butland move may not be straightforward
The Sun note that Butland is a free agent this summer and is all clear to sign for Rangers.
Butland is out of contract at Crystal Palace but the Eagles have an option to extend the 30-year-old’s deal by another year.
Unless Butland has already been told that this option won’t be activated, Rangers won’t be able to just strike an agreement right now.
Butland doesn’t really have a future at Selhurst Park and is currently serving as a backup to David De Gea whilst on loan at Manchester United.
The former Stoke City ace needs to be playing regularly and that just isn’t going to happen at Palace.
It’s best for all parties to go their separate ways and, rather than activate the option to try and sell him, Palace may be better off just letting Butland go.
Rangers could be the next move for Butland, but Monday’s conflicting reports mean Gers fans won’t be counting their chickens on this potential signing.
