Wolves have signed young Scottish goalkeeper Jack Ruddy from Bury, who will go into the club’s Under-23 squad.
The highly-rated 18-year-old has put pen paper on a two year contract, with a further year’s option in Wolves’ favour, to make the move for an undisclosed fee.
Ruddy made one senior appearance for Bury, also appearing on the bench for the first team on several other occasions, and is a Scotland Under-19 international.
On Rangers’ books as a youngster, Ruddy emigrated with his family at the age of 12 and joined Real Murcia before returning to the UK to join Bury in 2014.
“We are pleased that Jack is joining the goalkeeping ranks here at Wolves and he will go in to provide some good competition in the Under-23 squad,” said goalkeeping coach Pat Mountain.
“He has been second/third choice for Bury at times but hasn’t been getting any game time and felt it was right to try and get out and look for a new challenge.
“We are grateful to Bury for allowing him to come here on trial where we liked what we saw.
“He is a very good young goalkeeper already with the potential to get a lot better and has a great attitude.”
Ruddy is delighted to have made the move.
“I’m over the moon to be here and to have joined such a big club with really big ambitions,” he said.
“I have really enjoyed my time at Bury and want to thank everyone there for what they have done for me but the interest from Wolves was always going to be very exciting.
“Coming here on trial was a great opportunity for me and something I wanted to enjoy and just make sure I did my best.
“This is a club which has brought through goalkeepers like Matt Murray, Wayne Hennessey and Carl Ikeme, and that is a big thing to see that pathway for a young keeper coming through.
“And to have a manager here who was a very good goalkeeper himself is good as well!
“For me now, the short-term aim is to get settled in and try and get as many games as I can for the Under-23s, and be number one in Scotland for my age group.
“In the long term, like any player, the main aim in the years to come is to be in the first team.
“I was at Rangers as a youngster before my family moved out to Spain and then back here to Bury.
“I was a scholar for two years before getting a professional contract and now this move has come up.
“So settling in at a new place is not really something that bothers me – I’ve got used to it and I know it is part of wanting to be a footballer.
“Now it is all about following the dream of trying to play in the Wolves first team one day - that is what I am working towards.”
