Jussi signs 'til 40

  • by Staff Writer
  • Wednesday, 4th June 2014

Jussi Jaaskelainen has signed a one-year contract extension, tying to West Ham until next summer.

Initially signed by West Ham on a year-long deal in June 2012, The club exercised an addition 12 month option to keep the 39-year-old Fin for the 2013/14 season.

And with that contract having expired, the two parties have come to a new agreement that will ensure Jaaskelainen - who spent much of the season on the sidelines having lost his place to Spanish goalkeeper Adrian - will celebrate his 40th birthday as a Hammer.

"I'm delighted to sign for another season and I'm really looking forward to it," he told whufc.com. "Hopefully I can put in a proper challenge to get a starting place again.

"You never know what is going to happen next season, but the only thing in my mind is to get myself ready to play. I am looking forward so that when that next chance comes, I will be in the right shape and right frame of mind to take it. That's all I'm thinking about now.

"I want to try my best and I'm going to give it a proper go to play well, so the first thing I have to do is look after myself to make sure I'm in good shape and a good frame of mind."

* The last player to represent West Ham in his forties was Teddy Sheringham, who returned to the club this week as the new part-time attacking coach.

The former striker was three months shy of his 41st birthday when he made his final appearance for the Hammers in a 1-0 FA Cup defeat at home to Watford in January 2007.

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