Clark Will Keep Talent
Friday, June 29, 2012 at 2:34 AM | by Sam Jewell 
New Birmingham boss Lee Clark has made it clear that young goalkeeping prospect Jack Butland is going nowhere. Birmingham have reportedly rejected a £6 million bid from Southampton for the 19 year old but have rejected the offer straight away.
Former Huddersfield Town boss Clark took over at St Andrew’s on Tuesday and quickly set about assessing the squad he has available. A dark cloud still hangs over the Midlands club, the blues are struggling financially after relegation to the Championship in 2011 and a transfer embargo is in place.
Other clubs are willing to test Birmingham’s resolve to hang on to their best players this summer. Jordan Mutch has already left the club for Cardiff City but Lee Clark will hoping the board back him in wanting to hang on to his top players.
Clark admitted Birmingham re in talks with midlands rivals West Brom over the transfer of Ben Foster, who spent the whole of last season on loan at The Hawthorns, "There's been dialogue with WBA over Ben Foster, that's been well known, we can see how that develops over the next few weeks," he told Sky Sports News.
The departure of Foster will give youngster Butland the chance to earn first team football. Another young player Clark is keen to keep hold of is Nathan Redmond. "Nathan Redmond and Jack Butland are two fantastic young players, Peter Pannu [acting chairman] has already come and said that only 'eye popping bids', I mean crazy bids would be accepted”.
"It would take big, big numbers, huge numbers.”
"I'm saying to you now that those lads will be part of the group that starts the season, because they are two fantastic young players."
Sam Jewell
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