Exclusive: Arsenal Prepare Surprise Summer Move For England Goalkeeper Jack Butland

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Gunners look to bring in new custodian at the Emirates.

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Arsenal are looking to make a surprise move for young England international goalkeeper Jack Butland this summer as Arsene Wenger looks to reassess his goalkeeping options next season.

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With Lukasz Fabianski set to depart at the end of the season in search of more regular first team football, CaughtOffside understands that Wenger is keen to bring in a new number two that he will mould into a contender for Wojciech Szczesny’s spot as first choice.

Fabianski has already told that club that he intends to make his exit when his contract expires at the end of the current campaign, after failing to make the number one jersey his own during a seven year spell in north London.

And following the club’s 6-0 mauling at the hands of Chelsea this weekend, Wenger has seen his doubts over Szczesny’s ability soar once again. The 23-year-old had been tipped to leave last summer following several shaky performances, but Wenger decided to stick with him for another season to see if he was capable of fulfilling his potential.

However, after a daily competent start, Wenger is believed to think that he can do better, but doesn’t want to pay over the odds for a goalkeeper, and will instead look for someone younger that he can mould into a world class staple woven into the fabric of the club.

And that is where Butland steps in. Having joined Stoke City from Birmingham last summer, the 21-year-old was sent out to Championship strugglers Barnsley for the first half of the season, but has since joined Leeds United for the remainder of the season.

Butland has been widely touted as the next long term hope of the England national side, and is reportedly willing to consider a move away from the Britannia Stadium as he has been shipped out by Mark Hughes after being told by his predecessor, Tony Pulis, that he would have a fair chance to challenge Asmir Begovic for the number one spot.

He has performed well for both Barnsley and Leeds this season, but is unhappy that he will now no longer be in the running to go to Brazil for the World Cup.

Wenger is keen on bringing him in to initially play as understudy to Szczesny for the first half of the campaign before slowly taking over to be their first choice.

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