Banks concedes Butland may need to leave Stoke

Legendary goalkeeper Gordon Banks has conceded that Jack Butland may need to leave Stoke City in order to keep himself in the England squad. Banks, who spent many successful years with the Potters, admitted that while he’d love to see Butland remain at the club on a long term basis, he’d understand if he decided to leave.

The 25-year-old keeper is currently playing in the Championship for Stoke, who were relegated from the Premier League last season. While he was selected to take part for England at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, as time goes on, he may well need to find his feet at a bigger club in order to gain more recognition.

At this moment in time, Jordan Pickford is the clear number one for England after he made a string of impressive appearances in Russia, but both he and Butland will likely be battling it out for the number one spot for many years to come.