Saint-Etienne stopper Stephane Ruffier will more than likely be offered to Newcastle in January, as per the Newcastle Chronicle.
Following the season-ending injury of Tim Krul, keepers like Victor Valdes and now Ruffier have been linked with moves to the club.
Ruffier, aged 29, is a France international goalkeeper and has made 15 appearances for Saint-Etienne this season. He was reportedly offered to Newcastle in the summer, but the club weren’t in the market for a goalkeeper back then.
With Karl Darlow and Tim Krul both out of contention, Steve McClaren is now on the prowl for a stand-in goalkeeper.
If the club were to pursue the services of Ruffier, he would cost in and around £7m – a fee that could put them off due to his age.
Ruffier is known for his excellent shot-stopping ability and would be a welcome addition to a team in desperate need of clean sheets.
A move for another goalkeeper would surely become more probable if injuries were to occur to Rob Elliot or Freddie Woodman, who are our only remaining match-fit ‘keepers.
Elliot suffered a thigh injury last season and it has been a recurring nuisance for the third-choice goalkeeper.
Newcastle are currently monitoring Elliot’s thigh problem and it’s safe to say that if he got injured, we would have a major crisis on our hands!
