Jack Butland close to Stoke return after all-clear from surgeon

Jack Butland says he is closing in on a return for Stoke after being given the all-clear by his surgeon following a year out with an ankle injury.

The 23-year-old has not played since March 2016 after fracturing his right ankle while playing for England against Germany and suffering setbacks in his recovery, but he had recently been undergoing rehabilitation in Qatar after having a second round of surgery in December.

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Last month Potters boss Mark Hughes said he hoped to have the goalkeeper back in mid-March, with Butland now taking to social media to give a positive update on his progress and reveal that he is close to returning.

Stoke signed goalkeeper Lee Grant on a permanent deal from Derby in January after he had originally been brought in on loan in Butland's absence.

Speaking ahead of his side's visit to play Manchester City on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports 1HD, Hughes admitted he was happy with Grant's form and said Butland may have to wait until after this season for a return to more regular first-team action.

"We're pleased Jack's at a point where it looks, hopefully, like it's not a false dawn this time and we can really look forward to him being back available for selection," Hughes said. "At that point, we'll have a discussion. But Lee's done exceptionally well. We're delighted with what he's produced.

"If we feel there's an option to maybe give Jack the opportunity to have games before the end of the season, whether or not we take it, or think 'let's make sure he's right for pre-season'.

"There's any number of options that may well be open to us. But until we see him progressing and working on the training ground on a regular basis, we really haven't got an answer to that."