In a recent report, The Telegraph mentioned that Manchester United are in talks to land Crystal Palace keeper Jack Butland. It has been claimed that the Red Devils are eyeing a move for the English custodian before the end of this January transfer window.
Butland’s Injury-Plagued Season At Selhurst Park
The 29-year-old has missed all of this campaign so far due to a fractured finger. However, Butland is vastly experienced in the English top flight as he has made 87 league appearances thus far, conceding 130 goals and securing 21 clean sheets in the process across all fronts.
The Bristol-born talent can still be a safe pair of hands in between the sticks for a top club like Man United as long as Erik ten Hag is considering him as his second-choice keeper. However, he doesn’t have the quality to rival David de Gea for a regular starting spot at Old Trafford.
His current contract with the Eagles is set to run out at the end of this campaign. Therefore, the Red Devils could potentially land him on the cheap before the end of this month.
Is Butland A Decent Option For Manchester United Head Coach Erik Ten Hag?
Butland has got decent reflexes under his belt and can make some solid saves at the back when he is playing with confidence on the pitch. He usually clears the danger when the opposition attackers are closing him down and can come out of his six-year-box to collect crosses and loose balls when needed.
However, the English talent has had his fair share of injuries and needs a regular run of games to get his confidence back which is something that Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag cannot afford to offer him at the moment.
Still, there is no denying that Butland is good enough to serve as a decent backup to David de Gea at Old Trafford. He could even help the Red Devils challenge in the domestic cup competitions over the next few years.
At 29, Butland has still got plenty of football left in him to play at a high level. Hence, he will be a good option for Man United to pursue this month. Furthermore, he is on an expiring contract and would be a shrewd choice for the Mancunian giants, especially after Martin Dubravka’s return from his loan spell to Newcastle at the start of this year.
