Chelsea Transfer News: Jordan Pickford, Jack Butland Interest Rumoured

Chelsea are reportedly monitoring Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and Stoke City stopper Jack Butland as potential replacements for Thibaut Courtois if he leaves the club for Real Madrid this summer.

Courtois has been speculated as a target for Real over the past year, and The Sun (h/t MailOnline's Will Griffee) reported Pickford and Butland are the latest Chelsea targets for a potential successor.

English goalkeepers appear to be favoured by new Chelsea chief Maurizio Sarri, too. It's mentioned the Italian is also interested in Manchester City 'keeper Joe Hart, who played against Sarri's Napoli while on loan at Torino in the 2016-17 campaign.

Pickford's reputation in particular was aided by a superb 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign in Russia, and ex-England No. 1 David Seaman touted the Toffees talisman as capable of moving to the next level, via Goal:

Chelsea were reported as admirers of Alisson Becker, but the Brazilian is no longer an option to replace Courtois after he joined Liverpool for £66.8 million to become the most expensive goalkeeper in history.

Pickford is still very young for a goalkeeper at 24, and the Sunderland academy graduate would be the most expensive of Chelsea's rumoured list. He cost Everton an initial £25 million last summer, with £5 million in add-ons, but the Toffees may seek a much higher fee given there are four years left on his contract.

There were concerns about whether Pickford was the right man to stand between England's posts coming into the World Cup, but Gareth Southgate's decision was vindicated by the stopper's displays en route to the semi-finals, via ITV (UK only):

Butland would require a much smaller investment—reported to be around £20 million—following Stoke's relegation to the Championship.

However, to go from an elite force like Courtois to Butland may be seen as too far a step down to some, said writer Chris Winterburn:

Butland is still considered to be a talented stopper despite the Potters' relegation to England's second tier, but he's only played two full Premier League campaigns and hasn't proved himself to be of the same standard.

It could be too significant a concession in such a key area, particularly after Courtois proved his mettle by taking home the top individual honour for a goalkeeper in Russia:

Courtois' position at Stamford Bridge looks as uncertain as ever, with the club deciding whether to cash in after the player entered the last year of his contract, or risk losing the Belgium No. 1 for nothing next summer.

The Blues would be wise to conclude their goalkeeper business sooner rather than later, and any move for either Pickford or Butland will have to wait until Courtois' future is decided.