Ruddy brilliant: Motherwell's on-loan keeper John Ruddy is in demand, with Newcastle and Celtic reportedly interested. Pic: ©STV
Chris Hughton ran the rule over Motherwell’s John Ruddy on Tuesday night as the on-loan goalkeeper kept a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw with St Mirren in the Scottish Premier League. Ruddy, who is also reported to be a summer transfer target for Celtic, has spent the season on loan at Fir Park from Everton.
His loan deal with Craig Brown’s team is up at the end of the current campaign and that has alerted the Magpies, who are trying to find a goalkeeper able to compete with former Falkirk loanee Tim Krul for the role of successor to 34-year-old current number one Steve Harper.
Ruddy was also subject to recent speculation that Celtic were keen on taking him to Parkhead, although they intimated on Tuesday that new contract talks had started with their current number one, Artur Boruc.
He put in another great performance at St Mirren Park, undoubtedly impressing the visiting Newcastle boss, keeping a clean sheet and again earning praise from his current manager, Craig Brown.
“John played very well,” said Brown. “He had a couple of saves which were very good and one in particular that was outstanding.”
Speaking to STV in February, Ruddy said that a spell with Motherwell beyond his current deal, which runs until the end of the season, was tempting but also made clear he had ambitions to try his luck again down south.
“I’ve always said that I owe Motherwell a lot now,” said Ruddy. “They brought me up here and have given me the platform to play. I’ve put myself in the shop window, I’d like to think, and my first option has always been to try and go back down to England.
“But if Motherwell were to come in with an offer, I’d have to give it some serious consideration because of the way they have been with me this year. I would definitely consider it.”
Since moving to Everton in 2005 from Cambridge United, Ruddy has had a nomadic career, taking in loan spells at eight different clubs before taking the number one jersey at Motherwell.
Ruddy, 23, has played just once for the Goodison Park club, coming on as a substitute in a home match with Blackburn Rovers following Iain Turner’s early red card. To his credit, he kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win, with James Beattie obliging at the other end.
Ruddy’s loan spell with Motherwell was supposed to end in January this year but the goalkeeper, together with Toffees team-mate Lukas Jutkiewicz, extended his stay until the end of the season.
