Rangers’ interest in Jack Butland has not gone cold, and could be the real path forward for the goalkeeping situation at Ibrox, after Palace were reportedly close to signing West Brom’s Sam Johnstone.

Palace, Butland’s current employer, is under his present deal till 2023, but fell out of favour the last two seasons to Spain’s Vicente Guaita who has become Patrick Vieira’s first choice.

He’s looking for a new challenge and Rangers have been strongly linked with the England keeper’s signature for some time now.

Ibrox Noise would certainly prefer this option as number one over the reports alleging Jon McLaughlin is to be installed there, and let’s face it Butland, with 9 caps and almost a 100 PL appearances is a completely different class to McLaughlin.

But it is, as always, down to Gio.

Butland’s fee would be nominal, and Rangers frankly would be hoping to emulate Celtic’s success with fellow England stopper Joe Hart, who has reinvigorated his career in the east.

This would be a good move for Rangers, and Palace are clearly trying to replace Butland with Johnstone in advance of his exit, wherever it’s to.

We’ll see if it happens.