According to Sky Sports, Chelsea have made a second approach for Norwich City goalkeeper John Ruddy. Like the first attempt, this one was reportedly rejected by the Canaries as well. There is no word on just how much this second bid for Ruddy was, but the return visit after being rejected the first time is telling.
Chelsea are in a bit of an odd spot here, as the domestic roster rules currently in place may well mean they have to overpay for a backup keeper. After allowing both Ross Turnbull and Henrique Hilario to depart and sending Matej Delac and Thibaut Courtois back on loan, the Blues are left with just a pair of semi-reasonable options in house to back up Petr Cech. Both Sam Walker and Jamal Blackman may eventually be more than adequate as backup keepers, but there are significant reasons to believe that neither one is ready to be Cech's primary backup today.
With international spots being at somewhat of a premium, it would seem a bit wasteful to sign a backup that wouldn't count as homegrown. That leaves the club somewhat limited in options, as they're looking for an option that would be better than both Turnbull or Hilario. There are only a handful of players around that would check both of those boxes, and very few of those would probably be willing to sign on for a role that will be strictly a backup*.
*Our failed pursuit of Jack Butland this winter is a prime example of this
I understand the appeal of Ruddy, but personally, I hope the club aren't willing to get drawn into a summer-long drama here. In the event of a serious injury to Petr Cech, Thibaut Courtois will surely be recalled. We just don't need a top backup at this point, we need a passable stopgap that won't cost the club a small fortune. Is it too late to bring Ross Turnbull back?