Stoke City Goalkeeper Jack Butland To Go On Loan In Hope Of Winning World Cup Place

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Potters youngster seeks chance to impress with regular football.

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Promising young Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland is targeting a place in England’s World Cup squad next summer, and will seek a loan move to help that happen, according to the Daily Mirror.

The 20-year-old is highly regarded as one of the best young goalkeepers in the country, and had been linked with other big Premier League sides before making the move to Stoke from Birmingham City in January.

Butland then spent the remainder of last season on loan with his former side, and seemed set to be made number one at the Britannia this season as Asmir Begovic was widely expected to leave the club after also attracting a great deal of interest from big-name teams.

However, the Bosnian international has stuck around and remained the club’s first choice ‘keeper this season, leaving Butland out of action on the bench for Mark Hughes’ side.

The talented shot-stopper won’t want to be missing out on regular first-team football in a World Cup year, and has been linked with loan moves to either Sheffield Wednesday or Sporting Lisbon.

Speaking about his situation, he said: “It will be sorted out in the next few weeks so there is no worry there.

“Without a doubt, to go to Rio is my target.

“I know the only chance of me ­getting there is to be ­playing week in, week out and putting in extremely good ­performances.

“I want to make sure I do that to give myself the best opportunity of going.”

Butland added that he feels no shame in being behind Begovic in the pecking order at Stoke, calling his team-mate an “incredible” goalkeeper.

“It is difficult being a keeper because only one of you can play – and I have no shame in not playing ­because of Asmir,” he said.

“He is an ­incredible ­keeper, but I have improved since I joined Stoke and that is important to me.”

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