Adkins handed keeper target boost

Southampton's hopes of signing Birmingham keeper Jack Butland have been boosted after John Ruddy vowed to stay put at Norwich.

There were several reports on Thursday suggesting the Canaries' number one goalkeeper, Ruddy, was being lined up as a top summer target for former boss Paul Lambert, who left Carrow Road for Villa Park at the start of June, as he looks to sign a long-term replacement for Shay Given at his new club. That had implications on Saints boss Nigel Adkins' transfer plans because, if Ruddy were to leave Norwich, then their new boss Chris Hughton was been linked with a return to his former club to snap up 19-year-old custodian Butland. That would leave Adkins facing a straight fight with Hughton for the £4million-rated player's services as he looks to bolster his goalkeeping options at St Mary's. But it appears that will not be the case as Ruddy, who was replaced by Butland in Roy Hodgson's England squad after breaking his finger in the build up to Euro 2012, was quick to post on his Twitter Social Network site: "With regards to these rumours that everyone is tweeting me about I don't know where they have come from, I have no desire to leave NCFC."