SAM Allardyce may be forced to switch his sights as he seeks goalkeeping cover for Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Former England star Ian Walker is being linked with a move to the Reebok after long term target Ali Al-Habsi suggested he wanted to join Manchester City.

Wanderers and the Blues have been locked in a two-way race for the Omani 23-year-old who is rated the number one keeper in Asia.

Wanderers were close to securing his services in the January transfer window and have kept tabs on him since.

But City have moved in to entice him to the City of Manchester Stadium and Al-Habsi admits he is impressed by what the Blues have to offer.

He says his first priority is first team football and believes he has more chance of getting it at City where 35-year-old David James has far fewer years left in him at the top level than Wanderers number one Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Hinting that City would be his preferred choice, he said: "James is getting old and probably only has a year of good football left in him.

"I must think of which club will offer me the biggest chance to secure a first team place. It is not all about the money. I want to be playing."

Wanderers need another keeper to cover for Jaaskelainen with veteran Kevin Poole being released in the summer and would be disappointed to miss out on the man who plays for FC Lyn in Norway.

In that event, they would be likely to make an offer to Walker who was released by Leicester in the summer.

At 33, he is in his prime and would benefit from Sam Allardyce's magic touch in reigniting the careers of fading stars.

Wanderers could be on the brink of sealing a year-long loan deal for Senegalese midfielder Abdoulaye Faye with his French club, Lens.

But reports that Allardyce tried to hijack Arsenal striker Jeremie Aliadiere's loan move to Celtic have proved unfounded. The 22-year-old travelled to Glasgow to tie up a season-long loan with the Scottish giants.