Jack Butland is set for another loan spell with Asmir Begovic looking like staying for another season at Stoke City, with the goalkeeper's agent revealing Steven Gerrard wanted his client to join Liverpool.
Butland signed for Stoke from Birmingham in January, before the Potters sent the young goalkeeper back out on loan to the same club.
The 20-year-old was seen as a direct replacement for Begovic, who was expected to move onto a bigger club this summer.
However, with no clubs willing to match Stoke's reported demands of £15 million ($22.3 million), it is looking increasingly likely that Begovic will stay at the Britannia come next season.
With that in mind, Butland could again be set for another loan spell with his agent Gary Mellor, a Stoke fan, confirming interest from clubs in Spain.
"If Asmir does go it means Stoke have got somebody for the future," Mellor told 6 Towns Radio. "It might not be this season, it could be the season after.
"When I was in Barcelona a couple of Spanish clubs wanted to talk to me about taking Jack.
"We have to weigh up all possibilities and I have to keep him playing so if Asmir is still here on September 2 I'm hopeful that Jack isn't. I don't see him sitting on the bench at Stoke City.
"Mark Hughes might see that differently and that's when Stoke and I do have issues. I have to keep Jack playing so that his international ambitions are on track and he continues to develop.
"There's nothing like actual games to help you develop, especially as a young goalkeeper."
Chelsea had a bid accepted by Birmingham for Butland in January, but the goalkeeper chose to turn down the move knowing playing time would be difficult at Stamford Bridge.
Mellor revealed there was also interest from several other big clubs for the talented goalkeeper. "Obviously it was well documented that we turned down Chelsea," Mellor added. "We turned down other top-four teams -- there probably wasn't any of the big six that didn't show an interest.
"I had a meeting with Liverpool about Jack, and (Liverpool's managing director) Ian Ayre said the only player Steven Gerrard has ever picked up the phone and called them to sign was Jack when he was in the England squad in Poland and Ukraine last summer.
"That shows how highly thought of he is, and I think Stoke have got an absolute steal.
"I've had a lot of stick for taking him to Stoke from other Premier League clubs because sometimes they think you're biased towards your own team.
"I'm a fan but I'm not going to mess around with Jack Butland's career and pick a club for him just because it's a team I support.
"I think Stoke City have got a magnificent goalkeeping coach in Andy Quy. I think he's done a great job with Asmir, who has come on leaps and bounds."
