Al-Habsi Bolton Talks Reach Standstill

New Deal In Balance
By Mark Heys
February 18 2008

All the weekend speculation suggested that Scottish giants Celtic where preparing to move for Bolton Wanderers keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen in the summer but the Trotters could have a goalkeeping problem of a different kind after it was reported that contract talks with Ali Al-Habsi had broken down.

Al-Habsi will be in a position to buy out the rest of his contract in the close season under new rules sanctioned by FIFA and Bolton have been keen to negotiate new terms in an attempt to stop the worst case scenario from happening.

The Oman international has been at the Reebok Stadium since arriving from Norwegian club Lyn Oslo in January 2006 but only this season has the giant custodian been able to see any playing time due to the form of Jaaskelainen.

Now the players agent Peter Harrison, who also represents Jaaskelainen, says that talks between Bolton and Al-Habsi have hit a stumbling block.

"The new Fifa rule is in place and Ali is one of those players who will be able to take up that option if he believes that is the right thing to do, We have failed to reach agreement after talks and that is how it stands at the moment" said Harrison to Sky Sports.

In the case of Jaaskelainen, he will be allowed to leave on a Free Transfer when his current deal runs out this year and this is also true of Al-Habsi leaving the Wanderers with veteran Ian Walker and the inexperienced Hungarian Adam Bogdan as options.

Bolton have been linked to Israeli international stopper Dudu Aouate as a possible replacement but manager Gary Megson will be striving to keep both and at the worst one, of his current top goalkeepers.