Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland has suggested that his future remains with the Potters, despite transfer speculation linking him with a move away from the club in January.

Butland endured a frustrating start to the season, having not managed to secure a move away from the Bet 365 Stadium in the summer transfer window, and the England international made a number of high profile individual mistakes which cost the Potters at vital times during games in the first few months of the campaign.

The keeper’s form eventually saw him be frozen out of the side for Nathan Jones’ last few matches in charge, but Michael O’Neill’s arrival has seen Butland come back into the side and start to show signs of getting back towards his best, having kept back to back clean sheets against Luton Town and Reading.

However, the England international has been linked with a move away from the club again in the January transfer window, with West Ham United interested in bringing him to the club to help them cope without inured first choice keeper Lukas Fabianski.

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Speaking to the Stoke Sentinel, Butland suggested that he if focusing purely on helping the Potters recover from their poor start to the season, and that he is not looking to force a move away from the club, saying: "I’m here, I don’t envisage anything happening, I’m not looking for anything to happen.

"In football, if things happen, you’ll be contacted and you’ll give it time of day, but as I say, I’m not looking for it.

"I’ve still got a contract here, I’ve 18 months left still. I think I’ve said in the past, if offers come in, you have to judge it, but ultimately I’m here and want to get us out of where we are.

"I think that’s the most important thing."

The Verdict

Butland has endured a challenging season so far, but there have been signs over the last few weeks that he is starting to re-find his confidence and show the sort of form that he is capable of producing, with O’Neill helping him get back to his best since his arrival at the club.

Given Butland is starting to get back to his best Stoke could well benefit from keeping hold of him in January, and it would be very challenging to find a new number one goalkeeper mid-way through the campaign, so if the keeper is settled and content to stay at the club then that would be a positive for them.

The keeper has built up a good relationship with the club over the last few seasons, and if he can stay in January and help the Potters get out of trouble then his lack of form during the opening stages of the season will be long forgotten.