Released Norwich City goalkeeper John Ruddy poised to join Championship rivals Wolves on a free transfer
John Ruddy is poised to join Wolves. Picture by Paul Chesterton/Focus Images - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
Wolves are poised to sign released Norwich City goalkeeper John Ruddy on a free transfer following Carl Ikeme’s shock leukaemia diagnosis.
Ruddy was the big name casualty of seven senior players to not have their contracts renewed this summer as City started trimming their wage bill.
The 30-year-old was one of the longest-serving players at the club having joined from Everton in 2010 and helped Paul Lambert’s team win promotion to the Premier League.
The one-cap England international made a total of 242 appearances to place him 46th in City’s all-time appearances list but his wages were the key factor in the decision not to trigger the one-year option in his contract.
He now looks set to join big-spending Championship rivals Wolves, report Birmingham newspaper the Express & Star, who have been rocked by Ikeme’s leukaemia diagnosis and have had to move quickly to secure Ruddy’s signature, who had also been in talks with Sunderland.
Wanderers were already looking for a keeper having allowed the experienced Andy Lonergan to leave on a free transfer and have turned to Ruddy, who joins up with former Canaries team-mate Ryan Bennett at Molineux, who signed a three-year deal after being let go by Norwich.
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Wolves smashed their transfer record to sign Ruben Neves from Porto for around £15million today and also confirmed a loan deal for defender Willy Boly.
Defensive midfielder Neves has signed a five-year deal to link up with former manager Nuno Espirito Santo. Boly follows Neves from Porto and has penned a season-long loan deal as the West Midlands club continue to revamp their squad.
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Portugal international Neves made 76 appearances for Porto and the fee tops the £12million Wolves paid for Helder Costa in January.
Boly made five appearances for Porto last season after joining from Braga last August.
Birmingham and Aston Villa were also interested in Ruddy but the keeper is set to join Wolves’ pre-season trip to Austria with the club still dealing with 31-year-old Ikeme’s diagnosis, who will start treatment immediately.
