Chief executive Stefan Gamble: Walsall yet to finalise transfer budget
Chief executive Stefan Gamble says Walsall are yet to finalise their budget for next season as they wait to hear back from their out of contract stars.
The Saddlers competed at the top end of the League One throughout the 2015/16 campaign despite operating on one of the smallest budgets in the division.
Now boss Jon Whitney is busy working on his squad for next season with the board still waiting to hear back from 11 players they offered new deals to last month.
And Gamble said the club is currently weighing up a whole host of factors before deciding what they will spend on players next year.
"It's too early to say at this stage," Gamble said when asked if the Saddlers board will increased the playing budget for the 2016/17 campaign. "We're still putting plans in place for the upcoming campaign and once we've done that we'll know where we are. "We've offered contracts to players we feel can take the club forward and we'll no doubt be looking to add to the squad over the course of the summer.
"As teams have shown in the past though, having the biggest budget doesn't always equate to guaranteed success."
Meanwhile, Walsall are reported to be amongst a host of clubs chasing the signature of out-of-contract Gillingham midfielder Josh Wright.
The 26-year-old moved to Priestfield Stadium on a free transfer last summer and impressed in 44 appearances for the club.
Wright has been offered a new two-year deal to remain in Kent but it is believed the Saddlers, Huddersfield and former club Scunthorpe are keen to entice him away.
The defensive midfielder spent two years with the Iron between 2009 and 2011, making 81 appearances for the club and scoring once.
He left to join Millwall and subsequently spent time at Leyton Orient and Crawley before signing for Justin Edinburgh's Gillingham.
But while Edinburgh is keen to keep him, he wants Wright to make a decision sooner rather than later.
"I would be disappointed to lose him but we aren't going to be held to ransom," he said.
"Hopefully, it's edging closer.
"There will be a cut-off point. We want to make a decision. It's soon going to be a case of that day or no day."
