An update has emerged regarding Glasgow Rangers’ plans to improve their goalkeeping options in the summer transfer window…
According to Football Insider, one particular option is being eyed by Michael Beale to bolster his squad at Ibrox at the end of the season.
The report claims that the Premiership giants are scouting out potential goalkeeper targets for the summer as they look to find their new long-term number one, and Manchester United’s former England international Jack Butland has emerged as one name on their radar.
What’s the latest on Jack Butland to Rangers?
Butland is currently on loan at Old Trafford from Crystal Palace, and his deal at Selhurst Park expires at the end of June, which means that he is set to be a free agent heading into the 2023/24 campaign.
It is stated that current Rangers first-choice Allan McGregor is expected to call time on his playing career when his contract expires later this year, although he could stay on as a coach.
Could Butland be McGregor’s heir at Rangers?
Beale could land the dream heir to his current number one by securing a deal to sign Butland on a free transfer to replace the Ibrox legend in the coming months.
The 41-year-old McGregor, who has been capped 42 times by Scotland, has made 475 appearances for the Light Blues throughout his career, but his form over the last two seasons suggests that this is the right time to part ways with him.
McGregor has saved just 61% of the shots on his goal in the league this term, and this comes after the he saved 66% and made four errors leading to shots or goals for the opposition in the Premiership last season.
Butland, who was hailed as “outstanding” by journalist Josh Bunting last year, would come in as a player who is 12 years younger than the Scotsman and as someone with a wealth of experience at the top level in England.
The nine-cap former England international has made 87 Premier League and 161 Championship appearances in his career and played in nine top-flight matches for Palace last term, saving 57% of shots on his goal.
Whilst McGregor has made three errors leading to shots or goals in the last 18 months, Butland has only made one error in his last three Premier League campaigns.
Between the 2017/18 and 2018/19 campaigns for Stoke, in the top two tiers of English football, the 29-year-old saved 5.5 more goals than expected based on post-shot xG, which shows that the potential is there for him to be an excellent goalkeeper if he can get back to his best.
The English titan has top-level experience, international recognition and plenty of years left ahead of him to develop further. This is why he could be a dream heir to McGregor and someone Beale could enjoy working with, as the on-loan ‘keeper knows what it takes to play in highly pressured matches and has plenty of mileage left in him.