Liverpool in talks with Stoke for goalkeeper Jack Butland

Adrian didn't have his best game last weekend.

Liverpool are in talks with Stoke City over a move for goalkeeper Jack Butland, according to the Daily Mirror. Butland was once tipped for big things and was expected to succeed Joe Hart between the sticks for England, having become the youngest goalkeeper to represent England at senior level. An injury picked up while playing for England in 2016 combined with Stoke City's decline has seen the 27-year-old fall some way short of the expectations people had of him. But he is being offered a career lifeline as Jurgen Klopp tries to bring him to Anfield as a back-up to Alisson Becker. Alisson is one of the best goalkeepers in the world but was missing for Liverpool's humbling 7-2 defeat against Aston Villa last weekend - something of a freak result in which stand-in goalkeeper Adrián did not cover himself in glory. With Alisson set to miss the next six weeks of football, Klopp appears desperate not to have to play Adrián for those upcoming games after his horror show at Villa Park. The transfer window for moves between Premier League clubs and for players coming over from abroad closed on October 5th but top flight clubs in England have until Friday 16th to complete moves for players from the EFL. Butland has less than a year left on his Stoke contract and is reportedly one of the highest paid players at the club, making the move a tempting prospect for both the Potters and Butland himself. If Butland signs, he could make his Liverpool debut in the Merseyside derby against Everton, the Reds' first game back after the international break. Everton have won all of their games this season and have been transformed by the arrivals of experienced stars James Rodriguez and Allan, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin is in the form of his career, with 10 goals in seven games across all competitions this season.

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