Liverpool transfer news: Goalkeeper transfer odds plummet

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 16: A dejected Jack Butland of Stoke City during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Stoke City at London Stadium on April 16, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 16: A dejected Jack Butland of Stoke City during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Stoke City at London Stadium on April 16, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Liverpool are now huge favorites to sign Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland after bookies send the odds of a summer move tumbling today.

Liverpool have been linked to Stoke City goalie Jack Butland for over year. This is despite the improved form of Loris Karius and continued links to Atletico Madrid stopper Jan Oblak and AS Roma man Alisson Becker.

However the bookies remain convinced that Butland is the man who will be the Liverpool number one next season. The odds of an Anfield move for the England keeper have plummeted in the last week.

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The goalkeeper is 8/11 odds-on to become a Liverpool player this summer. Liverpool fans are largely against this transfer as many do not feel he offers a significant improvement on Karius. There is even the joke of calling him ‘Jack Bogdan’. An enormous insult from Reds who are comparing him to the much maligned reserve keeper.

While many Reds are not opposed to the idea of a new keeper,  it would need to be a notable upgrade to justify the transfer outlay. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has other areas of the pitch that need strengthening as a priority.

A permanent partner for Virgil van Dijk is high on most fans priorities. A rejuvenated midfield with Naby Keita at its core is also much-needed. Emre Can looks likely to leave and the Reds are chasing Jorginho from Napoli, Ruben Neves from Wolves and James Maddison from Norwich as potential midfield reinforcements.

Current keeper Karius has 3 or 4 huge games this move to cement himself in Jurgen Klopp’s future Liverpool first team plans. The semi-final second leg against Roma followed by Sunday’s massive Premier League clash with Chelsea will help define his standing at the club.

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If he can conjure up some European Cup final heroics in the same vein as Bruce Grobbelaar or Jerzy Dudek then he could find himself as the Liverpool keeper for many a year to come.