Transfer Centre

Gary Rowett: 'Jack Butland will stay at Stoke City'

By Ali Akbar | 02 August 2018

Stoke City boss Gary Rowett says that he is confident goalkeeper Jack Butland will stay at the club ahead of the 2018-19 Championship season.

Stoke City manager Gary Rowett has insisted that goalkeeper Jack Butland will remain at the club for the 2018-19 Championship season.

The Potters were relegated from the Premier League last season after finishing 19th with 33 points, conceding 68 goals in the process.

Following their drop down into the second tier, Butland has been linked with sides such as Chelsea, but Rowett is confident that the England international will be available for their opening league fixture against Leeds United on Sunday.

"I expect him to stay, I hope he stays. I'm also pragmatic enough to know anything can happen," said Rowett in a pre-match press conference.

"I can only react and answer what's in front of me. The answer is we haven't had an offer which the club feel is financially viable - or I don't think any strong offer yet. Jack has never made any real moves to want to leave and he's contracted to us and we're not even a week away from the first game.

"He's still the same goalkeeper, still got the same ability and we all know he's a goalkeeper who could quite easily play at one of the top six clubs."

The Potters have lost seven players so far since their fall from the top flight, including winger Xherdan Shaqiri to Liverpool and goalkeeper Lee Grant to Manchester United.