Butland would command greater fee than Pickford – Stoke

Jack Butland would command a transfer fee in excess of the £30million Everton paid for Jordan Pickford, according to Stoke City chief executive Tony Scholes.

Pickford became the third-most expensive goalkeeper in football history on Thursday when he swapped Sunderland for Everton – his transfer fee only eclipsed by new Manchester City signing Ederson and Juventus legend Gianluigi Buffon.

And should Stoke be inclined to sell him – which they have no intention of at present – they believe any offers would now have to exceed the one that secured Pickford’s services.

“Jack’s a very special talent,” said Scholes. “He’s done extremely well for us and has done well for England.

“I think most people objectively would argue he’s some way beyond Jordan Pickford, I think, but that’s not what we are thinking about.

“We are thinking about what Jack can do for our football team and Jack is a key part of what we want to be next year.

“He’s a player we missed last year, albeit Lee Grant came in and was magnificent and deservedly won the player-of-the-year award.

“But when you’ve got a player of Jack’s quality you want him available for your team.”

Stoke had to cope without their number one goalkeeper for the majority of the 2016-17 campaign due to an ankle injury, but he returned in the closing weeks as Mark Hughes’ side finished 13th.