BREAKING NEWS: Pundit hails ‘truly great’ Rangers signing who may be ‘better’ than £30m star

admin | March 1, 2024 | Rangers fc | No Comments

Former Rangers captain Barry Ferguson acknowledges that he was initially worried about Jack Butland’s arrival, but the goalkeeper’s outstanding performances in the Scottish Premiership have won over an Ibrox icon, and he now ranks among the team’s finest glovemen. Midway through the week, Kilmarnock led 1-0 against Philippe Clement’s team and looked to be up 2-0; only a long, clear-cut save from the England international kept the hosts from increasing their advantage. James Tavernier and Tom Lawrence’s goals within four minutes of the half’s end converted a deficit into three points that could prove to be crucial in the title fight. A comeback that was made possible by Butland’s valiant actions on the other end.

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“Really good goalkeepers can be trusted to pull off 99 per cent of the saves expected of them. But the truly great keepers make the ones that are not (expected). And guys like that don’t come around too often,” Ferguson tells the Daily Record. “If Butland doesn’t make that save, then Rangers would have had to score twice just to get out of Rugby Park with a point. “And when Rangers signed him last summer I admit, there was a question mark in my mind.”You can understand Ferguson’s concerns. Butland had barely kicked a ball in anger during the previous few seasons after all, and arrived having not made a single appearance during a loan spell at Manchester United. Seven months after one of the most inspired free signings in modern Rangers history, however, Ferguson could not be happier to admit that his fears have been dispelled. “In fact, I’m not afraid to say Butland is right up there with (Andy) Goram, (Stefan) Klos and (Allan) McGregor as one of the best Rangers keepers I’ve seen in my lifetime,” Ferguson adds, insisting that Butland must be part of Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024 with there very little to separate him from the Three Lions’ £30 million number one. “No-one is going to tell me that he’s not every bit as good or better than the likes of Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson, Sam Johnstone or Nick Pope.” Butland, who is also a major reason why Rangers have a Europa League clash with Benfica to look forward to, has comfortably the most clean sheets in the Premiership with 17. He will hope to make it 18 when Rangers – two points clear of Old Firm rivals Celtic – face Motherwell on Satuday.

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