Transfer Rumour: Liverpool, Everton and West Ham set for three-way battle for Stephane Ruffier

Liverpool, Everton and West Ham United are all keeping an eye on Saint-Etienne goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier.

Yahoo Sports journalist Manu Lonjon has claimed on his personal Twitter account that Liverpool, Everton and West Ham United are all interested in Stephane Ruffier, having had the Saint-Etienne goalkeeper scouted in recent weeks.

Stephane Ruffier is a 30-year-old goalkeeper who progressed through the youth ranks at AS Monaco before finally making the cut to the senior side in 2007. After impressing at Stade Louis II for the next four seasons – and even becoming the club captain – Ruffier made the move to Saint-Etienne in 2011.

Having signed with with Les Verts, Ruffier has come into his own, becoming one of the best goalkeepers in Ligue 1 with his stellar performances in goal. Bringing an air of decisiveness and composure between the sticks, he has made a mark with his solid shot stopping, quick reflexes, excellent positioning and all round reliability.

This season has been one of his best of his senior career, with Ruffier keeping 12 clean sheets in 30 appearances in all competitions, while conceding just 26 goals. With the Saint-Etienne custodian seemingly at the peak of his powers, clubs are starting to circle around the talent.

Liverpool, Everton and West Ham are three of the clubs that have had Ruffier watched in recent weeks, as per Lonjon, and judging by the performances of their respective shot stoppers this season, the three clubs could be in desperate need for some top quality goalkeeping reinforcements.

Jurgen Klopp has used both Loris Karius and Simon Mignolet in goal over the course of the season, but bar a few solid outings neither have managed to look convincing for Liverpool. Mignolet, to his credit, has bailed the Reds out on a few occasions with his exploits and has looked much improved this season.

But with the superb shot stopping, he has also been prone to leaking goals through howlers. With neither goalkeeper proving to be reliable between the sticks, Liverpool have been linked with the likes of Kasper Schmeichel and Joe Hart in recent months, with Ruffier the latest name to be discussed.

Everton, meanwhile, have also seen manager Ronald Koeman switch between Maarten Stekelenburg and Joel Robles in goal this season. And while both of them have had their moments of brilliance, neither have been dependable and with the former showing signs of slowing down, Koeman has been in search of a new goalkeeper in the summer.

West Ham manager, Slaven Bilic, too, has made a new goalkeeping addition a priority for the summer, with reports claiming that he has had enough with the lack of reliability provided by Adrian and Darren Randolph. The former will see his contract run out at the end of the season and is set to leave the London Stadium in the summer.

Ruffier is a goalkeeper who was voted as the best goalkeeper in Ligue 1 for three straight years from 2013 to 2015, and with the 30-year-old regularly rated as one of the best shot stoppers in France, he will certainly be an upgrade for the three clubs.

His current deal with Saint-Etienne runs out in 2021 and it remains to be seen if the three clubs make a move for him in the summer.

Liverpool, Everton and West Ham United are all keeping an eye on Saint-Etienne goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier.

Yahoo Sports journalist Manu Lonjon has claimed on his personal Twitter account that Liverpool, Everton and West Ham United are all interested in Stephane Ruffier, having had the Saint-Etienne goalkeeper scouted in recent weeks.

Stephane Ruffier is a 30-year-old goalkeeper who progressed through the youth ranks at AS Monaco before finally making the cut to the senior side in 2007. After impressing at Stade Louis II for the next four seasons – and even becoming the club captain – Ruffier made the move to Saint-Etienne in 2011.

Having signed with with Les Verts, Ruffier has come into his own, becoming one of the best goalkeepers in Ligue 1 with his stellar performances in goal. Bringing an air of decisiveness and composure between the sticks, he has made a mark with his solid shot stopping, quick reflexes, excellent positioning and all round reliability.

This season has been one of his best of his senior career, with Ruffier keeping 12 clean sheets in 30 appearances in all competitions, while conceding just 26 goals. With the Saint-Etienne custodian seemingly at the peak of his powers, clubs are starting to circle around the talent.

Liverpool, Everton and West Ham are three of the clubs that have had Ruffier watched in recent weeks, as per Lonjon, and judging by the performances of their respective shot stoppers this season, the three clubs could be in desperate need for some top quality goalkeeping reinforcements.

Jurgen Klopp has used both Loris Karius and Simon Mignolet in goal over the course of the season, but bar a few solid outings neither have managed to look convincing for Liverpool. Mignolet, to his credit, has bailed the Reds out on a few occasions with his exploits and has looked much improved this season.

But with the superb shot stopping, he has also been prone to leaking goals through howlers. With neither goalkeeper proving to be reliable between the sticks, Liverpool have been linked with the likes of Kasper Schmeichel and Joe Hart in recent months, with Ruffier the latest name to be discussed.

Everton, meanwhile, have also seen manager Ronald Koeman switch between Maarten Stekelenburg and Joel Robles in goal this season. And while both of them have had their moments of brilliance, neither have been dependable and with the former showing signs of slowing down, Koeman has been in search of a new goalkeeper in the summer.

West Ham manager, Slaven Bilic, too, has made a new goalkeeping addition a priority for the summer, with reports claiming that he has had enough with the lack of reliability provided by Adrian and Darren Randolph. The former will see his contract run out at the end of the season and is set to leave the London Stadium in the summer.

Ruffier is a goalkeeper who was voted as the best goalkeeper in Ligue 1 for three straight years from 2013 to 2015, and with the 30-year-old regularly rated as one of the best shot stoppers in France, he will certainly be an upgrade for the three clubs.

His current deal with Saint-Etienne runs out in 2021 and it remains to be seen if the three clubs make a move for him in the summer.