John Eustace reportedly wants to bring goalkeeper John Ruddy to Blackburn Rovers, once his contract at Birmingham City concludes at the end of the current season. Ruddy has been Blues' undisputed number one since Eustace was appointed in the summer of 2022, and to date he has played 86 times for Blues, missing only a couple of games this term in February through injury.
Ruddy, 37, signed an initial one-year deal at St Andrew's, but once he had his feet under the table he agreed a one-year extension - that deal expires this coming summer. Blues' number two Neil Etheridge is also out of contract, so Blues have a decision to make on whether to retain Ruddy or conduct a clean sweep of the goalkeeping department and move the experienced stopper on.
The Sun report that Eustace and Blackburn might give Ruddy something to think about in the summer by way of a contract and a concrete offer to remain in the Championship - provided Rovers, as Blues are looking to - confirm their place in the second tier next season. They have had Aynsley Pears as their number one - he kept a clean sheet in their remarkable 1-0 win at Leeds United on Saturday, but Eustace reportedly wants a more experienced head.
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Ruddy has been a largely very successful addition since he joined on a free transfer after he'd left West Midlands rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers, after five years at Molineux, in the summer of 2022. To date, he has kept 23 clean sheets.
Ruddy came through the ranks at Cambridge United as a teenager before he earned himself a move to Everton, but he couldn't secure regular first team football at Goodison Park and a career-defining move - after a string of loan spells - to Norwich City arrived in 2010. Ruddy spent seven years at Carrow Road, playing just shy of 250 matches, before he left on a free and joined Wolves, helping them win promotion to the Premier League in his first year.
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