Jack Butland has been in ‘outstanding’ form since leaving Premier League giants Manchester United over the summer with the goalkeeper arguably ‘Rangers’ best signing for a few years’.
As Rangers finally secured victory on Spanish soil over Spanish opposition for the first time in their history, Jack Butland added another to his growing collection of virtuoso performances for the Scottish Premiership powerhouses.
Butland, who joined Rangers on a free transfer after departing Manchester United in June, denied Hector Bellerin from point-blank range, kept out another Real Betis effort with a superb reflex stop with the scores level, and then clawed away a German Pezzella header which would have knocked Philippe Clement’s side out of the competition in stoppage time.
And, despite the razor-sharp finishing of Abdallah Sima at the other end of the pitch – the Brighton loanee opening the scoring in Seville and taking his tally to 14 – Rangers legend Ally McCoist is in no doubt as to who has been Rangers’ best signing of 2023.
Jack Butland joined Rangers after Manchester United spell
“Butland has been the best signing of the lot,” Ally McCoist tells TNT Sports. “In fact, he might be Rangers’ best signing for a few years.
“He’s been outstanding.”
Butland did not make a single appearance under Erik ten Hag during his short-lived spell at Old Trafford. Like former England team-mate Joe Hart, however, he has been a man reborn north of the border, Rangers’ heroic performance ensuring that they – unlike Manchester United – will be playing European football after Christmas.
Most clean sheets in Scotland
“I’m so surprised they’ve got Jack Butland,” one-time Rangers winger Neil McCann told BBC Scotland earlier in the season.
““I thought that was an unbelievably good signing. To replace someone of the stature of Allan McGregor with someone like this guy…
“He’s at a good age, and I think he’s got so much left in him.”
With 10 in 16 games, Butland has by far the most clean sheets in the Scottish Premiership this season, three more than Celtic glovesman Hart.
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