10 Players Newcastle Have Been Linked To At The Euro U-21 Championships

9. Jack Butland (England)

Age: 22 Position: Goalkeeper Club: Stoke City Nationality: English Estimated market value: £15 million League Appearances 2014-15: 9 (3 for Stoke and 6 on loan at Derby County) International Under-21 Caps: 25 Now this would be a signing of real ambition - and it would only happen if Tim Krul did decide he wanted pastures new this summer. The links have been tentative this window, but there have been some. Jack Butland is viewed as England's long-term No 1 and he even leapfrogged Asmir Begovic in the Stoke City team towards the end of last season, so brilliant has his form been. Already capped once by Roy Hodgson at senior level, Butland is currently Joe Hart's deputy but regular Premier League first-team football could even see him start to rival the Manchester City stopper for a starting spot. Having moved to Stoke from Birmingham City in 2013 he was loaned back to the Blues, and then to Barnsley and Leeds United. However, Steve McClaren also captured the 6ft 5in stopper on loan during the first-half of last season and he was extremely impressed by his abilities. Should Krul leave then if Newcastle really did want to push the boat out then an audacious swoop for 22-year-old Butland could prove a masterstroke.