Birmingham City In Battle To Make Key Player Stay

According to Football Insider, Birmingham City will fight to keep goalkeeper John Ruddy, as Charlton Athletic has initiated talks with the shot stopper.

The 37-year-old has been a constant presence at St Andrew’s since joining from rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2022. After signing a one-year contract, his efforts earned him a one-year extension after less than half of the season.

Last season, the former England international remained in goal as the Blues experienced a dreadful campaign. Following the sacking of John Eustace in October, they went into freefall, eventually being relegated from the Championship.

Birmingham hope their spell in League One will be brief. They want to keep Ruddy and confirmed in May that he’d been offered a new deal. However, he was hesitant to commit while the club’s management situation remained uncertain. Chris Davies accepted the role earlier this month, which appears to be a trigger in the situation. Earlier this month, the goalie told Ben Foster on the Fozcast:

“When they get the manager sorted we will see what happens. Hopefully there’ll be a couple more conversations but I’ve had conversations with other clubs as well. It’s just a matter of keeping your options open and seeing what comes about.

“I still want to play and that would be my first preference because I have really enjoyed playing in the last two years. After four years at Wolves where I wasn’t playing, I’ve done 89 games in two seasons. I feel physically good and feel like my performance level has been fairly decent. There’s obviously peaks and troughs but I do believe I have been consistent on the whole.”

Charlton appears to be one of the clubs involved in negotiations. The Addicks are reportedly trying to add more goalkeeping experience, despite having already signed Will Mannion from Cambridge United.

Charlton has already been highly busy in the transfer window. Aside from Mannion, they have signed Luke Berry and Josh Edwards, and Millwall defender Alex Mitchell is believed to be close to joining The Valley.

Nathan Jones means business this season as he aims to challenge at the top of League One. Last season was a tremendous disappointment for the Addicks, but the signings they’ve made so far will only strengthen them.

Despite his advanced years, Ruddy would be a fantastic choice for anyone in League One, but he will require promises. After a resurgence at Birmingham, he will only be interested in playing time, which might be crucial in discussions with either his present club or any possible suitors. The Blues have recently signed Ryan Allsop from Hull City, indicating that his time at St Andrew’s is coming to an end.