We alluded to discussing the Jack Butland to Nottingham Forest situation a bit more in depth, so as promised, we offer the reality of what is actually going on here, with the on-fire ex-England goalie coming under very late attention to the Premier League side.
As we know, Rangers’ best player, and most valuable player, these days, is indeed the ex-Stoke stopper Butland.
With his exemplary displays, he was an incredible Bosman who is now worth well beyond the £10M mark, and closer to £15M/£20M these days.
He’s a hot-stock goalkeeper currently, and he can thank Rangers for his massive resurgence in the game.
We caught wind of Forest’s interest a few days ago, reports of a £5M bid being offered for Butland, rejected out of hand of course.
But this isn’t the whole picture or truth.
Ross Wilson, of course, is now Forest’s Chief Football Officer, which is their fancy term for Sporting Director.
He still very much has contacts at Ibrox, and he was responsible for this offer, knowing full well it would be rejected.
However, Butland had been in the press only 36+ hours earlier expressing his urges to play for England again, and praising Rangers as giving him that amazing platform. He was also praising of the Scottish game, suggesting it wasn’t a hindrance to national selection. Of course it is, and he knows that.
Wilson, seeing those quotes, saw a big opportunity to get a PL-level stopper who wants to play for England, but not now. No, Nottingham Forest are under major FFP restrictions, and couldn’t afford a bean more than £5M.
But in the summer?
This bid has now given Butland a taste of Premier League teams wanting him, and if he continues to perform, it’s now inevitable Forest, or someone else from the PL, will make a big bid for him come the middle of the year.
That will put him back in the PL, and give him a massive Euros case, which is the big deal to him.
This bid was Forest saying to Butland ‘we’re here, and we want you’. And he now knows that. Along with other PL sides.
He’d love to be part of the Euros, he’d give anything for it, and now that Forest have dipped their toe in the water of Butland, other clubs may well follow suit in the summer.
Rangers may well be resigned to losing the lad this June, but we know we’ll get big money if he heads off.
He’s not for sale, but if you pay enough, maybe he is.