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Are Stoke really putting Jack Butland out of Liverpool’s reach?

By Rucker Haringey

Stoke City's English goalkeeper Jack Butland reacts after conceding their second goal during the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Stoke City at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on January 23, 2016. Leicester won the game 3-0. AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLISRESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / AFP / PAUL ELLIS (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images)
Stoke City's English goalkeeper Jack Butland reacts after conceding their second goal during the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Stoke City at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on January 23, 2016. Leicester won the game 3-0. AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLISRESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / AFP / PAUL ELLIS (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images) /
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Stoke City are signing Jack Butland to a new deal, but Liverpool could still steal him away this summer

Stoke City is doing everything they can to hang out to star keeper Jack Butland. The young Englishman has been a bright star for the Potters all season long. Unfortunately, they may be powerless to keep him out of Liverpool’s hands once the summer transfer window begins.

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The Express is reporting that Stoke and Butland are close to agreeing on a new contract extension for the 23-year-old keeper. That’s good news to Stoke fans who know how important Butland is to their side, but it may not be enough to keep clubs like Liverpool at bay.

No matter how good the contract seems at the moment it’s signed, Liverpool still has the resources to turn the English keeper’s head this summer. Stoke simply may not have deep enough pockets to turn away the Premier League’s elite this summer.

Butland will be a highly sought after commodity because he’s quite possibly been the Premier League’s best keeper this season. He leads England’s top-flight with 99 saves and has managed an impressive 10 clean sheets for the Potters. Manager Mark Hughes’ side owes much of their top-half point total to their talented shot-stopper.

There’s also the small detail that he is English. Like it or not, that fact will make him even more attractive to other Premier League clubs. Everyone has a homegrown quota to fill and having an English star doesn’t hurt a club’s box office efforts either. Butland can help a club on the pitch and in the community.

That’s why Liverpool figures to be so aggressive in their pursuit of the star player this summer. They see Butland as a clear upgrade over current starter Simon Mignolet. In all fairness, there are quite a few keepers who could provide Jurgen Klopp’s squad more protection than  the 28-year-old Belgian has this season.

It’s more than just his play on the pitch that attracts Liverpool to Butland though. Under Klopp, it’s a good bet that the Reds will be acquiring lots of talent from abroad. Their powerful transfer committee knows it will need to balance those purchases with some domestic and homegrown talent. Acquiring Butland would be a savvy step in that direction.

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Stoke City is doing the right thing by showing Jack Butland as much love as possible with their new contract offer. Unfortunately it may not be enough to keep the star keeper away from Anfield before the beginning of next season.

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