Young England keeper wants to establish himself as Stoke No 1.
Birmingham City goalkeeper Jack Butland has revealed the reasons why he rejected the chance to join either European champions Chelsea or Premier League title holders Manchester City during the January transfer window, reports the Daily Mail.
Butland, 20, was offered the chance to move to Stamford Bridge or the Etihad Stadium at the turn of the year, only to cause a massive shock by turning down both big-name clubs to sign for Stoke City.
The Potters paid £3.5 million for the Team GB star but the shot stopper was immediately loaned back to the Blues to spend the rest of this campaign in the Championship at St Andrews.
And, the keeper, who made his full international debut for England in a friendly international against Italy in Aug 2012, has admitted that it was the lure of playing first team football at the Britannia next season that proved decisive in his decision to join Stoke.
“I had the chance to speak to Chelsea but I didn’t feel like I needed to,” Butland is quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.
“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.”
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