Now that would be good. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/footbal...s-uncertain-stoke-future-aside-focus-england/
Watford or Wolves eh! Only disadvantage that we have is (not knowing exactly where Jack lives), he may not need to move house if he where to sign for Wolves. Hope we get him though.
If the reports are true and it’s between us and wolves I feel somewhat hopeful, however he’s been linked with bigger teams in the past. What a signing if we could pull it off, we’d really have a strong young English core in the side
I'm not so hopeful, Wolves are going to spend big and I imagine they'll trump us at every point in terms of silly salaries and signing on fees.
I'd be delighted if this is actually true, but I think it's unlikely we'd actually sign him. Butland will probably be England's number one at the World Cup. He's only 25 as well, so is only going to improve. Looking at £30m Everton spent on Pickford, or £10m Bournemouth spent on Begovic, tells you that he won't be a cheap option. I think it's far more likely we'll get someone like Fabianski, who is decent enough, but only £4m, or even Ben Foster. In fact I'm surprised we've not been linked to him yet. Butland will, however, almost certainly want a move back to the EPL, but I think there would be a queue of clubs after him, a lot more than just Wolves and Watford.
He was just relegated having played just about every game, and has only played two seasons of Premier League football in his whole career. Plus, it isn't like being in the England team is a definite marker of quality...even Scott Loach made it to the England bench once upon a time in the not-too-distant past. IMO he would be a good signing that would reinforce a strong, English core of players, but I think you are valuing him way too highly. Begovic had played over 200 Premier League games and was at Chelsea when he signed for Bournemouth, and was home grown, and was only three years older than Butland. Clubs who already have decent goalkeepers aren't going to be falling over themselves to pay over the odds for a just-relegated keeper with 70-odd Premier League appearances IMO. I definitely don't think we should be paying more than Bournemouth did for Begovic.
I noticed you steered clear of using Pickford in your argument. Everton splashed £30m on a keeper that had played only 31 times in the Premier League and had no England caps. If Butland has a good World Cup, his value will be inflated. This always happens. I'd love Watford to sign him, but I don't think we'd be able to match Stoke's valuation of him. Stoke hold all the cards on this as he still has 3 years on his contract. A club, like a West Ham, would be willing to spend big on him I'm sure.
Catch 22 situation this as I can't see us paying anywhere north of £20m for him and I'd be surprised off Gino would even go that far for a GK. His age would also mean that he surely would be stunting Dahlberg's route to the first team? And if Stoke were strangely willing to let him go for £20m, I suspect we'd be way down the queue. I think Liverpool may also go in for him. Not totally unrealistic but there would be a LOT of different factors that would have to fall into place for him to arrive at Watford.
Apparently we've "registered interest" in Butland. That's a long way from putting in a bid. I would have thought Liverpool would also be interested. I'd rather have Pickford in the England team, but Butland would be better than what we've got. Ben Foster would be better value for money, but he's said he wants to stay on the Midlands
No, we should definitely be going for Fabianski as well as younger home grown talent. Fabianski is a better keeper and a fraction of the cost at the moment though.
I would be happy with Gomes and Dahlberg fighting for the Jersey. Wilmot is a good start, but we seriously need a top quality centre back and left back before another keeper.
I can see it now. Typical Watford trying to sign good English players..... They just sum up all that's wrong in the game.
Going to wolves if it’s between us and them. So the press have a story about how great wolves are next season
If his agent is Mendes yes to Wolves. Be Interesting to see Stokes valuation of him with the new guy in charge and relegation. He gave us Will Hughes for peanuts to be fair.
If we signed Butland and his career keeps on an upward trajectory, it’s unlikely he’d be with us for 10 years. Or even 5.