Former Norwich City keeper John Ruddy is convinced English football will be able to make a safe return to action next month.

While a number of top-flight players, including Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero, have expressed reservations, Ruddy believes the correct protocols will be in place for a restart.

“Everything has to be safe for the players and our families - obviously that is the most important thing - but I don’t see it should be a problem with football restarting,” said the 33-year-old, now with Wolves, in an interview with The Sun.

“Look at when people start going back to offices to work. As footballers, we will be in the safest environment possible. Everything with us will be sanitised and clean. At training grounds and at the stadiums, everyone we work with will have been tested from the players to the kit man.

“If you work in an office - and lots of people will be having to go back to them - there will be no guarantees in terms of whether colleagues have the coronavirus. You might not know the person you are sitting near and even if you do, you might not know who that person has been mingling with. Even so, people will still work again.

“We trust our doctors - ours at Wolves is one of the best out there - and we trust the information relayed by himself, our manager and Jeff Shi [Wolves chairman].

“As players, we have had more time off at this stage then anyone has had off in their own careers and that is a fact.

“We are, as professionals, itching to get back. As athletes, we are itching to get back. But it must be done with safety in mind at all times.”

Wolves have already returned to training, although the players will train individually.

“We are getting assurances at Wolves about being looked after,” said Ruddy, who left City for Molineux in July 2017 after seven years at Carrow Road, and more than 240 appearances.

“We will all be tested regularly as we need to be. If we do not test positive, we crack on.

“We are having individual sessions this week with a view to having smaller groups next week and then, hopefully, we all join together.

“Obviously, it must certainly not be rushed but we are all competitors. So as competitors, we want to get the season finished.”