Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly very close to replacing their ailing goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, who has been diagnosed with acute leukaemia, with the former Norwich City shot-stopper John Ruddy who left as a free agent at the end of the last season. Ikeme, the Nigerian international, returned some abnormal results during the blood test in the pre-season testing, which, upon re-checking, was confirmed to be acute leukaemia.
The 31-year-old shot-stopper is on his way to go through an immediate course of chemotherapy. Ikeme has been an integral part of the Wolves side for the entire span of his career and made over 200 appearances for the club side, which makes it even more painful for the club authorities and his colleagues along with the fans of Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Wolves Managing Director Laurie Dalrymple has expressed his concern over the goalkeeper’s health condition and has made it sure that he and his family will get all the love and support from the club, and that they will provide help in whichever way it is possible for them to help Ikeme have a full recovery from the serious health condition.
Ruddy, on the other hand, had been an integral part of the Canaries throughout the last seven years of his career and has been released by the club at the end of the last season. He has been one of the longest serving players in England to play for a single outfit, whether it is in the Premier League or the Championship.
The England international was picked in 2012 for the England squad, but was unable to make it and was replaced by Jack Butland as he broke a finger.
In his club career, the 30-year old England international made 242 appearances in total for his former club Norwich City, out of which he did not concede a goal in 60 of them. The England goalkeeper was in shock when he got the news of being released from the club, but has reportedly taken the opportunity to play for fellow Championship club Wolverhampton, as they offered him a place as the first choice goalkeeper to replace Ikeme under the crossbar in the next season.
Sunderland, who have been relegated from the Premier League, have also been looking to bring in the English international to their outfit in order to replace his compatriot shot stopper Jordan Pickford, who was picked by the Merseyside club Everton as their second signing in the summer transfer market.
