JUSSI Jaaskelainen is looking to extend his playing career in the North West next season.

The Wanderers legend, third in the all-time list of appearance makers with 530 games, is on the lookout for a new club after being released at West Ham United.

Jaaskelainen left Wanderers in 2012 after 15 years of service, playing for another three years in the Premier League with the Hammers under his old boss Sam Allardyce.

Although he turned 40 in April, his friend and long-time coach Fred Barber believes he is in good enough shape to continue playing for some time yet.

And the former Whites goalkeeping guru is heading to Bolton in the next couple of weeks to help Jaaskelainen get as sharp as he can, albeit in rather unfamiliar surroundings.

“I’m coming up soon to help him do some training,” Barber told The Bolton News. “He’s 40 but now I saw him recently and he’s in great condition.

“He was going to head towards me in Stoke but I was a bit worried we’d have nowhere to set-up. But Jussi just said ‘come up here, I’ve got some goals in my back garden, we’ll do it here!

“That’s just like him. He’s not going to sit around and wait for someone to invite him to come and play. He’s not going to lounge around.”

Since Jaaskelainen’s release at Upton Park, there has been a clamour among some Wanderers fans to see him end his career at the club, especially as his son Will is already in the youth team ranks.

As romantic a notion as that would be, it currently seems unlikely. Ben Amos is almost certain to start the season as Neil Lennon’s number one, leaving the manager looking for cover after losing Adam Bogdan and Andy Lonergan this summer.

There are also doubts over whether Wanderers could afford to sign Jaaskelainen again given the very different financial landscape which now exists compared to the club he left behind three years ago.

Barber does not see money as an issue – but reckons Jaaskelainen is a good few years from hanging up his gloves for good.

“I think Jussi has had time away and just wants to get back playing again,” he said.

“He’s virtually had a year out at West Ham but he looks hungry and wants to get back into the game.

“I think he’s at the stage where he knows he might have to go in and challenge someone. I’d never say he’d be content sitting on the bench but he’s realistic.

“I think he could go on for another three years if he can stay in this type of shape.”

Another of Barber’s former charges, Ali Al-Habsi, is also on the lookout for a new club this summer having left Wigan Athletic – and is reportedly looking to stay in England.

It is understood the Oman international was considered as a viable option at Wanderers before a deal was struck with Ben Amos a couple of weeks ago.

Al-Habsi spent five years with Wanderers battling Jaaskelainen for the number-one spot before leaving in a big-money deal to Wigan in 2011.

“He was unlucky in many ways because Jussi was at Bolton and doing so well but the proof is in the pudding – he went on and played very well for Wigan, and to get £4.5million for your second-choice keeper isn’t bad,” Barber said.

“We could have had Ali at 17 but because of Oman’s world ranking we needed to send him away to Norway so he could get the right permits. After that, we needed to sign him quickly because Manchester City wanted him.

“With Wigan getting relegated it doesn’t surprise me he’s moved on but I don’t think Ali will struggle to find a new club. He’s had a good upbringing!”

* Read part two of our interview with Fred Barber tomorrow, where he reveals why Liverpool-bound Adam Bogdan was difficult to coach, and some of the big-name goalkeepers Wanderers could have signed down the years.