Chelsea

Butland Rejects Chelsea Move

Birmingham City goalkeeper Jack Butland has rejected the advances of European champions Chelsea due to concerns over his chances of regular first team football

by
Transfer News Reporter
January 30, 2013

With the January transfer window now open for business we’ll be keeping you up-to-date with all the latest transfer gossip. Today, Jack Butland rejects Chelsea.

Birmingham City goalkeeper Jack Butland has rejected the advances of European champions Chelsea due to concerns over his chances of regular first team football, according to the Daily Mail.

The report claims Chelsea were given permission by City to talk to the England international after submitting a £3 million offer on Tuesday.

However, while the 19-year-old is understood to be flattered by the Blues interest the Mail claim Butland has turned down the chance to move to Stamford Bridge due to concerns over his chances of regular first team football.

You have to admire the youngsters maturity if this report is accurate. Not many 19-year-old’s would be able to turn down a big-money move to one of the world’s elite clubs to stay in the Championship. With Petr Cech established as No.1 and impressive youngster Thibaut Courtois due back at the club in the summer, it seems Butland saw his chances limited at the Bridge and opted to do whats best for his career over money.

There has been intense speculation over Butland’s future in recent months after he burst onto the scene with a string of impressive displays while on loan with Cheltenham last season, and he has continued that fine form with Birmingham City in the Championship this year.

Sky Sports News claim that Liverpool are also interested in the stopper so will the Merseysiders make a late move now that the player is reported to have spurned Chelsea? If his desire is for first team football, he may also struggle to get past Pepe Reina at Anfield, so I’m not sure he’d accept a move even if the Reds make a late bid.

With the transfer window closing on Thursday night, time is running out if Butland is to make a move in this window, but I can see him staying at St Andrews until the summer.

Did Chelsea even need Butland? Do Liverpool fans want to sign him? Get involved in the comments section below.