Butland reveals reasons for rejecting Man City and Chelsea
Jack Butland has revealed that he turned down big money moves to Chelsea and Manchester City because he wants to carve a career as a first choice selection, reports The Daily Mail.
Butland had been expected to leave Birmingham at the end of the January transfer window, but opted to move to Stoke rather than one of the big London or Manchester clubs, explaining that being a first choice stopper is the most important career aspiration he has. Speaking to The Times, Butland said: “I had the chance to speak to Chelsea but I didn’t feel like I needed to.
“It’s a fantastic club and it would be a great honour to play for them at some stage. But I’ve got a chance to join a club where I feel I can better develop my game and take it to the next level, which I didn’t feel at some of the other clubs I rejected.
“I turned Manchester City down about a year ago. Again I was flattered but Joe Hart is their undisputed No 1 and he was a main factor.”
Butland has stayed at Birmingham until the end of the season in order to keep playing football. He made his England debut against Italy in August, and is hoping that he can become the Potters’ new first choice when he arrives at the Britannia Stadium.
Current Stoke stopper Asmir Begovic has been heavily linked with a move away from the club amid sustained interest from Manchester United, and Butland hopes he can pick up where the Bosnian leaves off should he depart.
Butland was a youth at St. Andrews, joining the club in 2007. He will join up with his new team-mates at Stoke at the start of the 2013-14 season.
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