Soccer Football - FA Cup Fifth Round - Crystal Palace v Stoke City - Selhurst Park, London, Britain - March 1, 2022 Crystal Palace's Jack Butland applauds fans after the match REUTERS/David Klein
Manchester United are in talks with Crystal Palace over a move for goalkeeper Jack Butland, according to Mike McGrath and Fabrizio Romano.
The Lowdown: Dubravka recalled
Martin Dubravka made the move to Old Trafford over the summer on loan from Newcastle United, but the 33-year-old made just two EFL Cup appearances under Erik ten Hag.
He made the bench in the Premier League on eight occasions but failed to feature and has recently been recalled by the Magpies.
That has left United with just David de Gea and Tom Heaton as senior goalkeeping options, but it seems as if the club are looking to bring in another this month.
The Latest: Butland talks
Reliable reporter McGrath shared a story for The Telegraph on Wednesday, revealing United’s interest in Butland. He stated that the Red Devils are in talks with the Eagles over taking Butland to Old Trafford for the second half of the season.
Romano cited the news and added that the club have ‘discussed the conditions’ of a transfer and are ‘exploring some options’ to replace Dubravka, which appears to hint that Butland isn’t the only name on the list.
The Verdict: Needed
As mentioned, Ten Hag has just De Gea and Heaton available for the second half of the season, with both out of contract at the end of the current campaign.
Therefore, the club need to assess their options both in the short and long run, so bringing in Butland could be a wise move. The 29-year-old, labelled as a ‘positive professional’ by Patrick Vieira, has plenty of Premier League experience, making 87 appearances in the top flight.
He’s also out of contract at Selhurst Park at the end of the season, so who knows, a loan spell for the Nike-sponsored player could lead to a permanent deal to replace Heaton, who will turn 37 in April.
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