Rangers fans may be forced to wait on an announcement over goalkeeper Jack Butland until after this weekend’s FA Cup Final between Manchester United and Manchester City.
The 30-year-old England international goalie looks to be getting closer to joining Rangers this summer when his contract at Crystal Palace expires.
According to the latest reports, Rangers have struck a deal with Butland that will see him move north on reduced wages in the search for first-team football and prestige.
But with everything pointing to Jack Butland being the man to replace Allan McGregor, plenty have been left wondering what the hold up is with any announcement.
FA Cup Final could be holding up any Jack Butland deal
The fact Manchester United – the club at which Butland is currently on loan – are playing in the weekend’s FA Cup Final versus city rivals Manchester City may go some way to explaining it.
With Manchester United yet to finish their campaign, Rangers fans may well be forced to wait until the curtain comes down on the English football season before any announcement is made.
It is adding an extra sense of nerviness to the occasion, with Rangers fans desperate to get signings over the line and for the club’s squad to take shape.
Amid reports elsewhere in the vacuum between those Rangers links and the FA Cup final, there is also plenty of contradictory chatter regarding Butland which hasn’t helped any nerves.
That’s despite Beale claiming a deal for a new stopper was almost done in the press, with an announcement currently overdue as things stand.
“We will announce a goalkeeper in the next 10 days or so I believe so it is pretty much done,” said Beale.
To all intents and purposes, it does appear like the goalkeeper, who was England number one for a brief window, will be heading to Rangers this summer.
But with fans getting antsy, perhaps the final whistle after the weekend’s FA Cup Final between United and City will prove the catalyst for the announcement as the curtain comes down on Butland’s time at Old Trafford.
