Derek McInnes' previous Jack Butland comments speak a thousand words about his plans
Derek McInnes looks set to trust Jack Butland as Rangers' number one goalkeeper given the way he has praised him in the past.
Butland's position as Rangers' first-choice stopper has been questioned over the last 12 months following some disappointing performances.
Danny Rohl backed him to continue between the sticks throughout last season, but his future has been uncertain ahead of the summer window.
McInnes has now arrived at Ibrox to replace Rohl, and will be keen to build a settled squad as they aim to compete for the Premiership title.
His previous public praise of Butland surely points to the former Man United keeper continuing as Rangers' number one for the campaign ahead.
The 33-year-old is entering the final year of his contract at Ibrox, but has admitted that he wants to pen a new deal soon.
Rangers have been linked with new goalkeepers in recent weeks, but Butland should be confident of his place in the side after McInnes' arrival.
Derek McInnes has made his admiration for Jack Butland clear
Butland kept 12 clean sheets in 38 Premiership appearances last season, but saw his performances questioned towards the end of the campaign.
One particular mistake against Falkirk on the final day saw him miscontrol a backpass and allow the ball to roll into his own net in the seventh minute of their 5-2 win.
His save percentage for the campaign was around 70.7 per cent, which ranks highly, but he made four errors leading to a goal and endured the worst season since he arrived at Ibrox in 2023.
Liam Kelly's recent contract extension has also seen fans doubt Butland's standing in the squad, but new boss McInnes is clearly an admirer of his talents.
Speaking about him in 2023, he said: "Jack Butland has settled in brilliantly at Rangers. I think he's been excellent. It's such an important position in terms of building that foundation and getting clean sheets."
McInnes went on to praise the ex-England keeper again in 2024 after he impressed against his Kilmarnock side, saying: "Butland’s save at 1-0, it just confirms how good he is. That is a huge moment for Rangers in the context of the game."
Butland's form might have dipped, but the fact McInnes has heaped praise on him in the past should count for a lot.
It certainly seems unlikely that he will want to upset the apple cart too much at Ibrox, so the 33-year-old may well remain as their number one.
What has Butland said about his future at Rangers?
Sources have exclusively revealed to Football Insider that several Premier League clubs are interested in making Butland their new number two for next season.
He seems unlikely to want to take such a role again, unless McInnes does view him as his back up to Kelly.
Butland spoke candidly about his future at the club in April, insinuating that he would like to stay and sign a new contract.
He said: "I can knock on doors if I want to, but it’s not something that I’ve done. I love it here, and I love the challenge. I have from the get-go, and that hasn’t changed."