Wolves seal signings of keepers Ruddy and Virginia

Wolverhampton Wanderers have completed the signings of goalkeepers John Ruddy and Joao Virginia before the transfer deadline passes next Tuesday.

The Championship outfit, who have allowed Daniel Bentley to join Premier League side Coventry City, welcome back Ruddy, who previously spent five seasons at Molineux, on a one-year deal.

The 39-year-old won promotion with the club in 2017-18 and kept 24 clean sheets as they marched to the Championship title under Nuno Espirito Santo. Ruddy has since spent two seasons at Birmingham and more recently had two years at Newcastle.

Wolves boss Cesar Peixoto said: "It's important having a lot of experience in the team, and John knows the club very well, he's home at the club, so will be an important guy on the pitch, but also in the dressing room.

"He is a player who played a lot of games, who got to the Premier League with Wolves and who has a lot of knowledge of the Championship and English football.

"It's important to bring new faces, new personalities, but it's also important to build a strong group, a strong spirit, and I think he can add this quality. We want to bring these characteristics to the club."

Wolves, whose keepers Jose Sa and Sam Johnstone also remain on their books following relegation from the top flight last season, have also added Virginia from Sporting Lisbon on a three-year deal.

Virginia returns to England having spent time in the academies of Arsenal and Everton, making eight senior appearances for the Toffees.

The 26-year-old was released by Everton last year and made the switch back to Portugal to join then champions Sporting. Last season Virginia made seven first-team appearances, including one in the Champions League, but has been allowed to return to England.

"Joao has a lot of quality and potential to grow," Peixoto added. "He is hungry to be successful, to work hard and to bring experience because he knows the Championship and English football.

"He knows the expectation and pressure of playing to win game after game at his last club, and because of that it's easier to adapt to our club, to adapt to English football because he's played here for 10 years. It's going to be easier to be ready to help the team."

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