Gary Hooper is weighing up a move to Dubai as he prepares for his final year in professional football. 

The former Norwich City striker was released by National League play-off semi-finalists Barnet earlier this summer but isn't planning to hang up his boots just yet. 

Hooper has played for Sheffield Wednesday and has subsequently had spells in New Zealand, India, Cyprus and the UAE since departing Norwich in 2016. 

Now 36, the striker is planning on extending his playing career by a further year and has revealed he is mulling over an offer from former Wellington Pheonix teammate and Newcastle United defender Steven Taylor to join him at newly founded Al Qabila FC. 

"I want to go for one more year, and see what happens," Hooper told the Sheffield Star.

"I’ve got a few charity games and a seven-a-side tournament in America. Westy’s (Kieran Westwood) at that, actually, he’s on another team though - so I’m going to score against him! We’ll see what happens after that.

“I won’t be in football (after retirement), I want a completely different start. Although I’ve been offered to go coaching with my friend, Steven Taylor, in Dubai who is a manager out there. That’d be as a player coach for this year, but I don’t know yet - I’m not decided.”

Eastern Daily Press: Gary Hooper was a play-off winner with Norwich City back in 2015.Gary Hooper was a play-off winner with Norwich City back in 2015. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

Norwich signed Hooper from Celtic in 2013 for a fee of £5million as part of their Premier League plans under Chris Hughton. 

Hooper was unable to save Norwich from the top-flight drop but was part of the Canaries side that won the play-offs at Wembley under Alex Neil in 2015. His football became limited thereafter, prompting him to join Sheffield Wednesday. 

During this season, Hooper made 10 appearances for Barnet, scoring on just two occasions. His last game for the Bees came in a 1-1 draw against Ebbsfleet back in December.