Liverpool have been in negotiations with Stoke City about signing goalkeeper Jack Butland, according to reports in the English media.
It is believed the Reds are planning to sign the 27-year-old ahead of the Merseyside derby next week with the deal likely to go ahead pretty quickly due to the fact that the former England international has less than twelve months left on his contract at the Bet365 Stadium.
Supporters on Twitter are very sceptical about this story being true, with many questioning whether Butland would actually be an upgrade on the club’s current backup keeper Adrian:
worse than adrian?
— lemo (@fitratollah) October 11, 2020
Its a smoke screen, we gonna get someone completely different
— michael horsman (@mickylove22) October 11, 2020
NOT FOR ME.
— AL48 (@AL48C) October 11, 2020
LFC can sign a better keeper than Adrian twin from stoke ie
Foster
Krul
Etheridge
Rafael etc etc— nomad@XXX (@nomad56060053) October 10, 2020
Nonsense
— Mo.?CHAMP19NS? (@Cooler_King70) October 10, 2020
He's still at Stoke for a reason…
— Chehous (@Chehous) October 10, 2020
Butland isn't an improvement. He is a down grade. Spend the money for Raya.
— Scott Ferguson (@R_ScottFerguson) October 10, 2020
Hes worse than adrian in all honesty
— Keith (@DSnowman88) October 11, 2020
Foster would surely be cheaper! At least ask the question..
— Bouncebackability (@Bouncebackabil1) October 10, 2020
A number of reliable journalists have already shot down the Butland rumours so Liverpool fans should not be too worried about the keeper arriving at Anfield before Friday’s domestic transfer window deadline.
Butland isn’t even Stoke’s first-choice goalkeeper these days and there are many other options in the Championship to choose from if the Reds do want to sign another shot-stopper.