One former Celtic star thinks Rangers would be sending out the wrong message to fans if Jack Butland was to be sold even for a price of more than £10m.
Butland arrived at Ibrox last summer after being freed by Premier League outfit Crystal Palace and he’s since gone on to establish himself as the best goalkeeper in Scotland.
Amid a turbulent 2023/24 season for Rangers, Butland was the calming influence in the squad having proved week in week out how superb a signing he was.
Michael Beale brought him to Govan before the Englishman was sacked early in the season. But Butland’s tremendous early season form did not waver after the arrival of Philippe Clement.
Butland went on to win the Rangers Player of the Year award and kept 18 clean sheets in the Scottish Premiership, three more than his nearest challengers Zander Clark and Joe Hart.
The 31-year-old was deemed ‘irreplaceable’ by Clement in July and the only player in his squad who absolutely would not be sold this summer.
Scott Allan, who grew up a Rangers supporter but went on to play for Celtic, is in a similar school of thought.
He admits he would be ‘shocked’ if Gers sold Butland before the transfer window closes because it would go against harbouring a good relationship between club and fanbase.
Scott Allan’s Butland admission
Allan was speaking on PLZ Soccer with host Peter Martin and fellow pundit Tam McManus. Martin opened the discussion by asking the pair whether Rangers would sell Butland if clubs started to ‘bite’ for the stopper.
McManus instantly replied: “It would need to be £10m plus, Peter, it would need to be £10m plus.
Allan interjected and said: “It’s such an important position in your team. How does that (selling Butland) look to the fans when they are trying to build something. It would be a big shock to me.
Martin then countered: “He is a sellable asset though, they have been talking about it.”
Allan came back in and said: “That balance between being sellable and being in touch with your fanbase and where the club is going, especially at a Rangers or Celtic, is huge.”
What Philippe Clement has said about Butland
Rangers boss Clement delivered a strong message to clubs who may have been contemplating an approach for Butland this summer.
The Belgian said in mid July that he was confident no team would pay the amount he thinks Butland is worth and suggested only a bid of £30m plus would perhaps be suffice.
Clement commented: “I believe there is only one player that is irreplaceable at the moment, that I don’t think a team will pay the money he is worth, for sure, and that is Jack Butland.
“Everybody knows what I think about that. Every player falls in to that category — Jack doesn’t.
“If somebody comes with £30-£40million you can replace him for that money. If it is a good amount you can replace him and do something else. We will see.”
