Stoke City’s Jack Butland to have another ankle operation as keeper prepares for extended spell on the sidelines

JACK BUTLAND is facing more time on the sidelines after revealing he is having another operation on his ankle.

The Stoke City stopper has been out of action since fracturing his ankle and damaging ligaments while playing for England in March.

He was expected to be in contention for the start of the season, but broke down in training ahead of the Potters’ Premier League season-opener against Middlesbrough.

And now the 23-year-old has revealed he is ‘having a minor operation’ on Monday.

In a post he shared on Twitter, Butland wrote: “I’ll be having a minor operation on Monday to resolve my current ankle issue.

“Rather than push through and risk damaging further I’d like to have it sorted for good and be back to the levels I was at last year.

“I’m as positive as always and will do everything to be back as soon as possible.”

The former Birmingham City keeper is expected to be out for at least another two months.

Butland was injured when making an interception for England in the win against Germany back in March.

After signalling to the bench, he was replaced by Southampton keeper Fraser Forster in the 41st minute.

England went on to win the friendly 3-2.

The injury robbed him of a chance to compete with Joe Hart at the European Championships.

And with Hart’s demotion at Manchester City, and subsequent loan out to Torino in Italy, the new injury setback couldn’t have come at a worse time for Butland.

It also prompted Stoke boss Mark Hughes to bring in Lee Grant from Derby on transfer deadline day, to provide cover for 40-year-old Shay Given.