ALI-Al Habsi will not be buying out the remainder of his contract and swapping the Reebok for Premiership rivals Hull City, according to Phil Gartside.

Speaking in Oman, the Wanderers chairman said the club were working hard to secure the 26-year-old goalkeeper to a new four-year deal.

"In order to buy out the remaining year of his contract he would have had to have served the club prior notice of his intentions within 14 days of the last match of the season," Gartside explained. There has been no notice served in that time-frame and no indication during my trip to Muscat so far, that either Ali or his brother-come-agent Ahmed al Habsi, wants a move."

Gartside flies back to the UK on Sunday night and is hoping to reach an agreement with Al-Habsi and his representatives before he leaves the Middle East.

If confirmed, the contract signing would come just days after Jussi Jaaskelainen also agreed in principal to a four-year deal.

Gartside added: "We are very lucky now to have two very good goalkeepers who both fit into a long term successive strategy set down by the goalkeeping department.

"It's a position that once sorted, won't have to be looked at again for the next 10 years.

"It's up to Ali now to challenge for the first team, that's not to say we want Jussi to leave. It's just better for the club to have two competing for the role, especially with the pressures of Premier League football where you'll have the possibility of injuries."

Al-Habsi has been nominated for the Asian Player of the Year award after breaking into the Wanderers set-up last season.