Jack Butland: I don’t regret turning down Chelsea and Man City

Jack Butland says he has no regrets about turning down a move to Chelsea or Manchester City in favour of joining Stoke City.

The Birmingham City goalkeeper agreed to join the Potters for £3.5m in the January transfer window, with Stoke allowing the youngster to return to St Andrew’s on loan for the remainder of the season.

The 20-year-old had been widely tipped to secure a move to one of the Premier League’s top clubs, with Chelsea and City both expressing an interest in the England international.

However, Butland felt his career would have the best chance of progressing at Tony Pulis’s side ahead of The Etihad or Stamford Bridge, where Joe Hart and Petr Cech are formidable first-choice shot-stoppers.

“I had the chance to speak to Chelsea but I didn’t feel like I needed to,” Butland told the Times.

“It’s a fantastic club and it would be a great honour to play for them at some stage.

“But I’ve got a chance to join a club where I feel I can better develop my game and take it to the next level, which I didn’t feel at some of the other clubs I rejected.

“I turned Manchester City down about a year ago. Again I was flattered but Joe Hart is their undisputed No 1 and he was a main factor.”