Is West Ham’s reported Jack Butland interest another blow for Joe Hart?

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West Ham are keen to sign Joe Hart on a permanent deal from Manchester City – but also want Jack Butland from Premier League rivals Stoke.

Joe Hart continues to be haunted by the looming spectre of Jack Butland.

With Hart’s form and reputation declining considerably post-Euro 2016, the highly-rated Stoke City goalkeeper has put his name forward to replace the 30-year-old as England’s next permanent number one.

With the World Cup on the horizon, Butland is battling with Everton’s Jordan Pickford to start between the sticks for Gareth Southgate in Russia. But after taking Hart’s place at international level, could Butland do the same in the Premier League?

The Mirror stated last week that West Ham were considering making Hart’s loan deal from Manchester City permanent this summer despite a series of high-profile errors, the latest coming during the 1-1 draw against Butland’s Stoke on Monday.

But The Mail (22^nd April, page 79) is now reporting that West Ham are preparing a £40 million raid on relegation threatened Stoke with both Butland and Welsh midfielder Joe Allen targets for Hammers boss David Moyes.

24-year-old Butland is one of the most promising young goalkeepers in European football and, if he and Hart were fighting for the number one jersey at West Ham next season, there would surely be only one winner.

So if Hart wants to stay at West Ham for the prospect of first-team football, the potential addition of Butland could change all that.