Doubts remain over Crystal Palace goalkeeper as Birmingham City consider move

Crystal Palace goalkeeper Jack Butland is the subject of reported interest from Championship clubs Middlesbrough and Birmingham City as questions remain over his future at Selhurst Park.

The former England keeper made just 15 appearances in all competitions last season as he spent the majority of the season as backup to Vicente Guiata.

The recent arrival of West Bromwich Albion star Sam Johnstone could further limit Butland’s chances of finding regular first-team football with the Eagles.

That has led to speculation over a possible move away from Selhurst Park with Middlesbrough and former club Birmingham said to be monitoring the situation.

However, Boro’s need to sign a goalkeeper has been seems all but over as they close in on a deal for Manchester City’s Zack Steffan.

That could leave Birmingham with an opportunity to secure a move to take the 29-year-old back to St Andrews nine and a half years after he departed to join Stoke City.

Journalist Tom Barclay has suggested Butland will want to find regular football and that could leave to his departure this summer.

He told GiveMeSport: “I imagine if he can find a suitable destination, Jack Butland will probably leave this summer. I think he wants to be a number one again; he got a taste for it at times last season.

“But Butland’s had such a strange career because he was playing for England and touted for moves to the likes of Liverpool, and then his form struggled as Stoke got relegated, and it feels like people sort of wrote him off and had moved on from expecting much from him.”