37-year-old with one England cap now considering contract offer from Newcastle as he leaves Birmingham City

Newcastle United are one of several clubs who have offered veteran goalkeeper John Ruddy a contract ahead of the new season.

The 37-year-old has announced his departure from Birmingham City after a two-year spell at the club but looks set to continue his career.

It's now believed that several clubs have offered Ruddy a contract for next season with Newcastle said to be among them.

The Magpies lost Loris Karius at the end of last season after his contract expired and while the club continues to find a deputy for Nick Pope with Martin Dubravka tipped to leave, it seems that they plan to find somebody else to back up the back up, which really makes you wonder ... what exactly is the point of Mark Gillespie?

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John Ruddy could be Newcastle's Scott Carson

This is a move that would make sense if Newcastle were competing in Europe where having homegrown players matters. It's why Manchester City have kept hold of Scott Carson for so long.

However, Newcastle failed to land even Europa Conference League football for next season so this seems like an odd call.

Surely they can't be thinking of having Ruddy as Pope's understudy after looking at Giorgi Marmadashvili and James Trafford?

Ruddy would be third-choice at Newcastle

Newcastle World believes that Ruddy would slot into the pecking order ahead of Mark Gillespie but behind James Trafford who looks most likely to join the Magpies this summer.

Again, we ask the question, why keep Mark Gillespie around? Do we even need a fourth-choice goalkeeper? With Newcastle's 'keeper woes last season Gillespie still didn't get a look in. He's great to have in the dressing room, apparently, so just pay him to turn up and talk to the lads, don't dangle the carrot of a squad number in front of the poor bloke.

Are we missing something here?