Butland could be out for six weeks - Bowen

Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland believes he could be out of action for up to six weeks, according to the club's assistant manager Mark Bowen.

The 24-year-old sustained a broken finger during training for England in the build-up to last week’s friendly with Germany, and returned to the Potters to be assessed by medical staff.

Butland has been an ever present for Mark Hughes' side in the Premier League season, but could miss the club's next nine games if his prediction is correct.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Bowen said: "I actually spoke to Jack and he says that the break is almost identical to one that Asmir Begovic sustained a couple of years ago, when he was here.

"He seems to think the time limit, at the very worst, will be around six weeks, but if it manages to knit itself together like we are all hoping it will, then he could be back before then - possibly in around three or four weeks.

"So we will give it time to start knitting together again, and then Jack will strap it up and see how it feels - at this early stage though we are loathed to put a definitive timescale on it."