Burnley are reportedly looking at Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland as a potential replacement for Nick Pope, who has been linked with a summer move to Chelsea.
Pope was ever-present in the Premier League last season, keeping 15 clean sheets and narrowly missing out on the Golden Glove award to Manchester City’s Ederson. It was quite a comeback for the goalkeeper who missed most of the 2018/19 season after suffering a shoulder injury in a Europa League qualifier at Aberdeen.
It is no surprise Pope is on Chelsea’s radar given current No 1 Kepa’s recent struggles. The Spaniard has failed to make his mark at Stamford Bridge since joining from Atletico Madrid for a world-record fee back in 2018, and Frank Lampard is said to be looking for a replacement before the new season gets underway.
Butland was once touted as a future England star and even earned nine caps for the Three Lions. However, the goalkeeper endured a torrid time in the Championship last term as Stoke battled to avoid relegation to the third tier.
While it might seem like Butland’s best days are behind him, it is important to remember the shot-stopper is still only 27. There is still lots of time for him to get back to his best, and Turf Moor might be the perfect place to do so.
Billy Mercer, Burnley’s long-serving goalkeeping coach, has a proven track record after turning Pope and Tom Heaton into England internationals in recent years. Many Clarets fans would back Mercer to get Butland back to his former self in no time.
Bringing in the Stoke man would be a risk but it could prove to be an inspired piece of transfer business given his value has fallen considerably in recent seasons. Sean Dyche has landed several bargains during his time in East Lancashire, including Heaton and Pope, and could be tempted to try his luck once again.