Norwich Transfer News: Mark Bunn Joins From Blackburn

Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Mark Bunn has signed for Norwich City.

By Chris Deacon /

Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Mark Bunn has signed for Norwich City after the two clubs agreed an undisclosed fee for the switch. The 27-year-old has put pen-to-paper on a two-year contract with the option to extend his stay at Carrow Road for a further year. He arrives to challenge fellow Englishman John Ruddy for the No.1 jersey, having made his last appearance for Rovers in the FA Cup in January. Speaking to the club's website, Bunn made it clear he is pleased to have made it back into a Premier League squad:
"I'm delighted to be here to start a new challenge and I'm looking forward to it," he said. "I'm looking forward to seeing some familiar faces and getting to know the other lads. It's a good time for Norwich €“ it will be a tough season and I think we'll do well."
His new boss at City, Chris Hughton, said:
"I'm delighted to have signed Mark, he is a keeper that will give us valuable experience and competition at first team level." "He will have familiar faces here having worked with Dave Watson at club level and played with a couple of the lads in Bradley Johnson and Steve Morison at Northampton."
Bunn began his career with Tottenham Hotspur before moving to Northampton Town and quickly establishing himself as first choice. He made over 100 appearances for the Cobblers, where he first worked with Norwich goalkeeping coach Dave Watson, assistant manager Colin Calderwood and first team coach Paul Trollope. Manager Hughton continued:
"We are fortunate to have two very good young goalkeepers and it will hopefully give us an opportunity to give them experience on loan."
This means that Norwich are likely to accept late loan offers for 21-year-old Declan Rudd and 19-year-old Jed Steer. Rudd was recently called-up to Stuart Pearce's England Under-21 squad and looks set to win his first cap at that level. The young lions face Azerbaijan on 6 September in Baku, then play Norway in Chesterfield four days later - both are 2013 European Championship qualifiers.