Given the position Stoke City are in, Jack Butland might just be sold to either Arsenal or Liverpool for a bid in the region of £40m. The Potters are just dangling on the edge of the relegation cliff and offers such as these might be hard to turn down for a Championship side.
After playing in the Premier League for the last 4-and-a-half years, Butland has racked up quite an impressive work resume. He has registered 22 clean sheets in 79 total appearances for Stoke despite playing second-fiddle to Asmir Begovic in his early days.
He is an England international already with caps and is expected to appear as a second option behind Jordan Pickford for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He is just 25 and is ambitious for bigger and better things which the Potters might not be able to provide after this season.
Both Arsenal and Liverpool are title-contending teams and are desperately looking for quality shot-stoppers. Butland might just be guaranteed starters for both the teams.
His departure will obviously leave a massive gap in the Stoke lineup and replacements will have to be found. Here are a few candidates the bosses at bet365 should consider ahead of the summer window.
Nick Pope
Pope has managed 9 clean sheets in his 24 Premier League appearances and has made an average of 3 saves per game. Pope has been one of the best shot-stoppers in the Premier League this season and has made a solid impression under the crossbars for the Clarets.
It will be a heartbreak for the ex-Charlton Athletic keeper to return to a less influential role when Tom Heaton returns from injury. Dyche might just be forced to choose his captain over Pope.
If the keeper starts to express dissatisfaction and the Potters come in with a favourable bid, Dyche will be forced to let go of the Soham-born shot blocker.
Talks of a contract extension have been raised in recent weeks but progress is yet to be made. Lambert can make a significant impression by improving upon the £15,000 salary, Pope currently pockets every week.
Freddie Woodman
The Newcastle United goalkeeper was forced to depart the club in January for a lack of game time. After his loan-spell with Aberdeen gets over, Stoke can make provide a permanent escape.
The 21-year-old won the U20 World Cup with England recently and even won the Golden Glove award in the tournament.
Joel Robles
The out-of-favour Everton man will be without a club after this season. He has played the majority of his career as second fiddle to Tim Howard and now Jordan Pickford.
