'A game changer' - The Wolves verdict on Birmingham City signing John Ruddy

Birmingham City have wrapped up the signing of goalkeeper John Ruddy on a free transfer from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Ruddy becomes the second player to swap Molineux for St Andrew's this summer after Dion Sanderson arrived on loan earlier in the window. Ruddy makes it a hat-trick of new signings for new manager John Eustace after loan deals for Sanderson and Przemyslaw Placheta.

The 35-year-old goalkeeper brings bags of experience at Championship level having won promotion from the division three times before, twice with Norwich City and once as a champion with Wolves in 2018. He is set to battle Neil Etheridge to become Blues' number one goalkeeper.

Here is the lowdown from Wolves reporter Alex Dicken on what to expect from Ruddy...

I think it was a combination of two reasons. Ruddy is a vastly experienced goalkeeper and excellent number two, but his was probably a wage Wolves' hierarchy felt they could cut. Matija Sarkic - who Blues fans know well from last season - has developed and will take over from Ruddy as Jose Sa's understudy.

Ruddy will be remembered very fondly at Wolves after five years of excellent service. He was superb in his first season with the club to earn a spot in the PFA Championship team of the year after keeping 22 clean sheets. Ruddy has played a back-up role to Portuguese shot-stoppers Rui Patricio and Jose Sa in the past four years, but his influence behind-the-scenes has been enormous. Bruno Lage wanted to keep Ruddy at Molineux, but the club's hierarchy moved in a different direction.

Ruddy's performances last season have been markedly improved and I believe he is still a good goalkeeper for the second tier. Ruddy believes he still has a lot to offer as a first choice, and judging by