Jack Butland addresses Rangers transfer exit interest as he insists one thing HASN'T changed

Jack Butland has moved to calm Ibrox fan fears after insisting he plans on being at Rangers for the long haul.

The English goalkeeper has proved to be an instant hit after moving north last year to succeed Allan McGregor as Gers No1. But the former Stoke, Crystal Palace and Man United shot-stopper’s sensational form has sparked concerns amongst the Ibrox faithful that it could see Premier League clubs come calling this summer.

But Butland - this week handed a PFA Scotland player of the year nomination after scooping a club award double - is adamant he’s far from finished at Ibrox. The Gers keeper declared: “I signed a four year contract with beliefs of winning things and winning lots of trophies - that hasn’t changed in my mind. Ultimately in football when you do perform well, there’s always going to be noise and there’s always going to be talk.

“Where I’m at is that I’m loving my time here and I’m fully focused on achieving here and continuing to do so. That’s all that my mind is set on, that’s Rangers Football club.”

Rangers have already fought off a January swoop from Nottingham Forest. But Butland wasn’t interested either after insisting he’d rather be competing for prizes with one of Britain’s biggest clubs. He said: “My agent notified me of what was coming in. The club immediately said, ‘No’.

“My agent said, ‘How do you feel about that?’ but it was a ‘no’ from me as well. Like I said, if you’re performing well things like that ultimately do come.

“I’m not blowing smoke up my arse, but I’ve been at top clubs in England before. I’ve been in England squads before. I guess that reputation has always been there.

“But then you have to perform. I feel like I’ve done that and that’s always going to put you in conversations. To generate interest means things are going well and things are going to plan.

“That’s what I want to do, I want to play well and if I’m playing well, those conversations will happen. As I’ve said, I’m happy here and I’m loving my time here.

“Having been at Man United last year, do I relish playing for another huge club here? A million percent. Last year at United was a good test for me to go and test myself against players like that, with staff like that, with the size of the club that it was.

“How I trained there, how I performed there and how good I felt in myself meant it was something I knew I was capable of doing. It was about an opportunity really. And when Rangers came up it was an easy decision to make.

“I sort of made that decision before the season ended last year, that this was something I wanted to come and get stuck into. So for me it was a no-brainer. Gradually as the days went by, coming up here for the first time, getting things signed off, the support that I immediately got and what’s followed since, it’s just continually grown and become more and more the right decision.”

Butland already has a Viaplay Cup winners’ medal but he and his team have work on their hands if they are to salvage their Premiership hopes and pip Celtic to the Scottish Cup too “It’s been a rather enjoyable season,” he added. “It’s had its ups and downs but on the whole it’s been really enjoyable for me personally.

“As a team, we’ve grown an awful lot, we’ve been through an awful lot and on the whole we’re in a place where we can compete for everything still. It’s been a really positive season and hopefully that continues.”