Stoke City will listen to offers for West Ham target Jack Butland for financial reasons, according to The Telegraph.
New Stoke boss Michael O’Neill has been told to trim the club’s wage bill. Stoke have a £50m wage bill which is not sustainable – especially with the club in the Championship relegation zone.
Several Stoke players are on high wages from their Premier League days. This report names a number of players who could be sold in January – at the right price – and Butland is on the list.
Badou Ndiaye and Joe Allen have been told they can leave at the right price. Peter Etebo, Nick Powell and Bruno Martins Indi are three others who O’Neill could allow to leave.
Is Jack Butland the ideal signing?
Butland will be made available in January at the right price and West Ham want him. The Hammers are looking at the England international, who is available for £20m, according to The Daily Mail.
West Ham need to think seriously about investing in a new goalkeeper. Lukasz Fabianski is the club’s undisputed first-choice stopper but there have been problems in his absence. Roberto needs to go and David Martin remains a strong third option.
But both Fabianski and Martin are in their mid-30s now. Butland, aged 26, could be the long-term option for West Ham. As an initial back-up to Fabianski and a future replacement, Butland might be the best choice.
While his form has dipped this season for Stoke, he is still a talented goalkeeper. Butland might be worth the £20m gamble from the Hammers.