Wanderers have insisted clubs would be wasting their time trying to sign Jussi Jaaskelainen and Michael Ricketts.

Speculation has been rife recently that Premiership rivals are lining up to prize the outstanding keeper and striker from the Reebok ranks.

But manager Sam Allardyce and chairman Phil Gartside today staged a united front in warning interested clubs off their two prized assets and the rest of their Premiership heroes.

"You read stories about us selling Michael Ricketts, Jussi Jaaskelainen etc," said Gartside. "But they are not for sale.

"We don't need to sell them."

Responding to speculation linking the 26-year-old keeper with a number of clubs including Manchester United, Allardyce added: "Jussi signed an extention to his contract in the summer so he has four years to run including this one and he is not going anywhere."

In the past Wanderers have had to sell their best players to balance the books. But that has all changed thanks to the jobs Gartside and Allardyce have done over the last two years.

The chairman has overseen a drastic overhaul of the financial side which sees the club now operating on a firm financial footing for the first time since the overspending in their first Premiership season five years ago left them in severe financial difficulties.

His job has been made so much easier by Allardyce's miracle work in getting Wanderers into the cash-flooded Premiership.

It means the situation where they were forced to sell star players Claus Jensen and Eidur Gudjohnsen for a combined £8m, 17 months ago no longer exists.

Ricketts is a natural subject of speculation. Goalscorers cost the most money and Ricketts has set the Premiership alight with his eye for goal which has made him the highest scoring Englishman in the top league, sparking his manager to tout him for an England place.

His formidable pace and power along with the fact he was only 23 last week would have clubs queuing up for his services if Wanderers wanted to sell. They do not and that means it would take an offer in the region of £10m-plus to make them even think about selling.

Paying tribute to his manager, Gartside added: "I can only applaud Sam for what he has achieved over the last two years.

"To bring the players up to where they are now is a fantastic achievement."