5 best goalkeeping prospects in the Premier League right now

#2 Jack Butland (Stoke City)

Butland has proven his ability but after injuries and Stoke's poor form doesn't get the credit he deserves

Injury after injury, it's a shame that Butland has been sidelined with lengthy setbacks on more than one occasion in his professional career thus far. The 24-year-old is an excellent goalkeeper after all and naturally, it seems as though plenty of people - critics and neutrals alike - have forgotten just how influential he was and continues to be for Stoke.

Having kept four clean sheets this term, he's made the joint-second most saves across the league alongside David de Gea with a whopping 87. That statistic shows that if he was playing for a better side, perhaps he'd earn the recognition he truly deserves.

Distribution is an underrated aspect of his game, as his kicking over short and long range is impressive, to say the least. As someone who plays for one of the league's lesser sides, concentration is key - Butland does well to excel in tough situations and usually comes out on top against attackers, whether that be in one-on-ones, or counter-attacking moves given his tendencies to take calculated risks.

Butland, who regularly takes calculated risks off his line, doing well here to thwart Martial in the box

Arsenal and Liverpool are both reportedly on the lookout for a goalkeeper this summer and Butland, who has been linked to a whole host of clubs, has been forced to deny speculation that his future is sorted. With that being said, everyone wants to play for the best clubs and Butland is undoubtedly ambitious - it's helped stand him in good stead internationally.

This could and probably should be his final season in Stoke-on-Trent, as he deserves a step-up in quality and the opportunity to prove the hype and expectation around his performances in goal are justified.