This is a season that Stoke City fans will want to eliminate from their memories entirely and get to August as quickly as possible.

After being made convincing pre-season favourites to not only win promotion back to the Premier League but to do so as Champions, expectations were high.

It is safe to say those expectations have not been met. A 16th place finish left them closer to relegation than the play-offs with this summer now an uncertain time given the large amounts of money splashed by Gary Rowett 12 months earlier.

One player who looks set to be the focus of plenty of speculation is Jack Butland. The goalkeeper has long been very highly-rated and it would be a huge shock if were to stay in the Championship for another season.

This is a departure which is sure to cause a lot of angst among the fanbase but, if rumours are to be believed, Stoke have their eye on a more than adequate replacement.

Reported by The Stoke Sentinel, the Potters are weighing up a move for soon-to-be out of contract Barnsley goalkeeper Adam Davies.

The Tykes captain was an ever-present under Daniel Stendel this season, earning a place in the League One Team of the Year in the process.

With a new deal yet to be struck, a move for the 26-year-old could be very smart indeed and should put the minds of all supporters to rest.

Bringing in someone of Davies' calibre in on a free and getting up to £30million for Butland could well prove the difference in winning promotion next season and not.

It would allow Jones to strengthen his squad in ways he probably would not have been able to and they could seriously challenge.

Not to mention that Davies is a goalkeeper of top-Championship quality at the very least. Butland may have proven crucial at times this season but the Barnsley man is more than ready to step up and fill his void.