Deadline day signing Jack Butland will wear the previously vacant number one shirt at Crystal Palace for the 2020/21 season, the club has confirmed.
The former Stoke goalkeeper joined the Eagles in an initial £1 million deal and signed a three-year contract.
Interestingly, the number one shirt hasn’t been issued since it was worn by club hero Julian Speroni, who featured for the Eagles 371 times since joining from Dundee FC in 2004.
The news comes following the publication of the submitted 25-man Premier League squad list, which saw some notable absentees, including usual backup shot-stopper Wayne Hennessey and striker Connor Wickham.
Welsh international Hennessey is expected to be out until around February having returned from the international break with a problem in his quad that he sustained featuring for Wales. As a result, the club may have dropped a significant hint in bestowing the number one shirt upon Butland.
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The number, identical to the number he wore at Stoke, is the traditional number of choice for goalkeepers. Its association with Speroni’s time with the Eagles will remain strong for multiple generations of Palace fans.
Moreover, Hennessey’s omission from the Premier League list renders him ineligible to feature for the club, at least until the end of the winter transfer window.
A combination of these factors therefore seemingly confirms that Jack Butland will meaningfully compete with main shot-stopper Vicente Guaita, initially as a backup option. There is every chance Butland could hold down the no. 1 spot if he impresses.
