Saddlers look to the free market

Walsall manager Jimmy Mullen will have no choice but to look for players available for free this summer - because the club cannot afford transfer fees.

The Saddlers stance on recruitment for the new season is likely to be of great annoyance to the Banks's Stadium faithful, who are still smarting over the joint sale of star players Scott Dann and Daniel Fox on transfer deadline day in January.

Some fans still point to their sale as the main reason why Walsall fell away in the second half of 2007/08, after holding a play-off spot for a good time before, only to then fall out of contention.

Mullen has nonetheless been a busy man and believes he is "not far away" from signing two of his targets, with reports suggesting out-of-contract Bournemouth defender Josh Gowling and released Birmingham midfielder Asa Hall are the two close to becoming the first captures.

But they are not the only irons the Saddlers boss has in the fire.

He said: "We have spoken to at least 20 players but a lot are still keeping their cards close to their chest at this early stage of the summer.

"The budget is for players exercising their rights to the Bosman ruling or out of contract."