Liverpool have been advised by club legend Ray Clemence to move for Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland this summer, according to the Daily Star.

What's the word?

Manager Jurgen Klopp has not indicated that he will be looking for a new shot-stopper when the transfer window reopens, but it is an area that the team have struggled with.

Simon Mignolet has failed to perform on a consistent basis over the last four-and-a-half years, and ended up being dropped from the number one spot at the start of 2018.

Loris Karius has since taken the role, and even though plenty of fans are keen to stand by him, there have been a few shaky moments from the German.

According to the Daily Star, Clemence, who played for Liverpool between 1967 and 1981, claimed during a supporters event in Fort Lauderdale that Stoke City’s Jack Butland would be a good option for the Merseyside outfit.

“I still think to be a team that has got a chance of winning the league title is that we need a top quality goalkeeper. I’d go with Jack Butland of Stoke. I’ve known Jack since he was 15. I’ve worked with him since he was 16. If ever I saw somebody who was focused on being the England goalkeeper, or being a top goalkeeper from a young age, it was him."

Is Clemence right?

The 25-year-old is certainly a worthy challenger for the England number one spot alongside Joe Hart and Jordan Pickford, but would he be a big enough upgrade for Liverpool?

Butland - valued at £16.2m by Transfermarkt - has Premier League experience, which is invaluable, but this season he has kept just five clean sheets in 32 top-flight outings.

Given that Liverpool are seemingly on the cusp of a major rise given that they are in the semi-finals of the Champions League and have some world-class talent in their ranks, the goalkeeper needs to match.

Klopp needs a reliable figure who can perform consistently at elite level, and at this moment in time, Butland does not fit that category.

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