‘Jack Butland to never play for Rangers again amid huge Barry Ferguson decision’
Jack Butland may have already played his final game in Rangers colours as Barry Ferguson continues to make cut-throat changes at Ibrox.
Ferguson will hope to take permanent charge of Rangers this summer, having beaten the club’s biggest rivals at Celtic Park and now being one game off taking this team to the Europa League semi-finals.
Despite some very big results, defeats to Motherwell and Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership have raised further questions about the quality of the squad ahead of the summer transfer window opening.
The 2-0 loss to Hibs, especially, has seen a sharp spike in concerns over Butland’s abilities in between the sticks for Rangers, having messed up incredibly badly for Dylan Levitt’s opening goal.
Sadly, this has been a running theme for the former Stoke City shot-stopper more recently, who was one of the key performers during Philippe Clement‘s time at Ibrox.
Jack Butland finished under Barry Ferguson at Ibrox
While Clement could not see the mistakes right under his nose during his final few weeks, Ferguson has cottoned on pretty quickly, seeing the goalkeeper dropped for one of the biggest games of the season.
Liam Kelly stepped in as Rangers battled against Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League on Thursday, 10 April, helping his side to keep a clean sheet, even despite Robin Propper’s early red card for Rangers.
He even saved a late penalty to deny Alex Berenguer, and pulled off a multitude of fine saves to allow the Gers every chance of getting a positive result in the second leg back in Spain.
Given how well the 29-year-old performed, it seems highly unlikely that the manager will drop him from the lineup, suggesting that Butland’s season might already be over, forcing him to watch from the bench.
| Liam Kelly v Athletic Bilbao | Stats, as per FotMob |
| Minutes played | 90 |
| Saves | 3 |
| Recoveries | 9 |
| High claims | 3 |
| Penalties saved | 1 |
European teams to keep an eye on the goalkeeper situation at Rangers
During the 2023/24 campaign, Butland’s performances in the Scottish Premiership caught the eye of plenty of teams below the border, and while his form has dropped significantly, it would not be surprising to see the same happen again, especially if clubs are looking for an experienced, domestic number two.
The 32-year-old boasts a wealth of experience with Stoke, Crystal Palace, Man United, and even the England national team, so teams are likely to give him another chance in the Premier League or the Championship.
While there have been limited links with potential incomings this summer, even with the 49ers Enterprises‘ proposed takeover, it could be time for a much-needed change at the back.
Butland is not the only ageing member of the defence, with 36-year-old Leon Balogun and 33-year-old James Tavernier still playing much of the season due to a lack of replacements in the squad.
If the Light Blues can pull together some funds ahead of the transfer window, perhaps by letting Nico Raskin leave Rangers on a big-money deal, the club might be able to find Butland’s successor already.