Former Manchester United and Stoke City striker Michael Owen has tipped Potters goalkeeper Jack Butland to overtake Joe Hart as England number one and says that the 22-year-old is good enough to replace David de Gea at the Red Devils.
Butland is enjoying his first season as outright first choice at Mark Hughes's Stoke side after Asmir Begovic left to join Chelsea during the summer, and has kept four clean sheets in his last five Premier League matches after the 2-0 victory over league leaders Manchester City on Saturday.
Owen was playing for the Potters when Butland was initially signed from Birmingham City in January 2013, and he believes that his former teammate has the potential to reach the very top.
"Joe Hart is certainly looking over his shoulder now," Owen told BT Sport. "For the last few seasons for England, he has not had too much pressure on him, but this lad Butland, I am a huge fan of his.
"He is a monster of a lad, brilliant with his feet and top class with his hands as well. I think that he can go on to become the England goalkeeper of the future.
"I think that someone like Manchester United, if David de Gea leaves, or Liverpool if they are not happy with [Simon] Mignolet, I think one of those two clubs could come calling soon because he is that good."
Butland has won three senior England caps to date and has established himself as Roy Hodgson's go-to back-up goalkeeper.
Tom Nightingale
