Birmingham City goalkeeper John Ruddy has confirmed that he will leave St Andrew’s at the end of his contract, amid reports linking him with a transfer to Charlton Athletic.
Ruddy wrote on his Instagram page, “Thank you to all of you bluenoses who have made me and my family feel so welcome at your wonderful club over the last two years.”
It didn’t end the way we had hoped, but I hope you can say one thing about me: I gave it my all every time I put on the shirt. Sometimes it was enough, other times it wasn’t, but it was an honor to play for your club.”
Ruddy, a Cambridge United academy graduate, made 89 appearances in total for the Midlands and maintained 26 clear sheets, becoming the club’s first England-capped player since Carl Jenkinson in 2022.
Prior to his time at Birmingham, Ruddy played once for Everton as part of a series of loans. On a permanent basis, the shot-stopper spent seven years at Norwich City before joining Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2017.
With the arrival of Ryan Allsop from Hull City, Ruddy would have had to battle with the newcomer for the job between the posts, therefore he might be seeking for more assured minutes.
If Ruddy signs with The Valley, he will become the club’s second goalkeeper this summer, following Will Mannion’s arrival from Cambridge. However, given his experience and ability to play in higher divisions, the 37-year-old would most likely be the first-choice goalkeeper.
Charlton would, however, face competition from Premier League club Newcastle United for Ruddy’s signature. However, the player would most certainly be a backup on Tyneside, so a transfer to South London with greater playing time would be more enticing.
If a deal is completed, it will only bolster the belief that Charlton will be a force at the top of the table this season, following a disappointing 16th place finish the previous season. Furthermore, acquiring a player from a direct rival will significantly improve the strength of their recruitment, with manager Nathan Jones appearing to attract the type of player required to make the step up from the third tier.
