This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
According to Football Insider, West Ham are interested in signing Stoke City’s Jack Butland.
What’s the story?
The England international is currently playing in the Championship with Stoke City, who are struggling at the wrong end of the table.
As such, it is being said the Hammers are looking at bringing in the 26-year-old. However, the Potters currently value him at £25m, which is said to be a major hurdle for a January signing.
Good player, but West Ham should wait
This season, Butland is not having the best of times, both under previous manager Nathan Jones as well as new boss Michael O’Neill. In 14 starts in the second tier this term to date, he has a save percentage rate of just 49%, which is easily the lowest of any shot-stopper in the division.
However, on the whole, that is something of an anomaly. In the two full seasons, he has appeared in the Premier League, he has picked up a ratio of over 70%, picking up 16 clean sheets across those two campaigns. Last time out, albeit in the second tier, there were 18 games in which he did not concede a single goal even though Stoke could only finish in 16th position in the league.
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He also has nine caps for England, which is more proof of his credentials. And considering his age, he would likely be a long-term number one for the Hammers should he make the move to the London Stadium. That price tag, though, is not really viable. For a start, it would be one of the highest-ever fees paid to a Championship club, which would make little sense considering his form.
Not only that, Stoke are in real danger of getting relegated this term. They have just 18 points so far, and are currently two away from escaping the drop zone. If West Ham wait until the summer to make a bid for him, he could very well be a League One goalkeeper, which would automatically reduce his price tag. And even if they didn’t drop down a division, he will have just one year left on his contract by then, which would again likely mean the London outfit would not need to pay such a price.
Either way, waiting until the summer will represent a win-win situation for the Hammers. Lukasz Fabianski should return at the start of 2020, and David Martin can hold down the fort until then – in his first four games, he has two clean sheet. Then, come the end of the season, West Ham can pounce.
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