Chris Marsh wants Saddlers to 'find a Leitao'

Marsh believes a player of the Portuguese star's calibre is what's missing from the current Saddlers team and says such a signing would excite supporters.

The Saddlers paid £150,000 to sign Leitao from Feirense in 2000, the last time they paid a significant transfer fee for a player.

He went on to score 71 goals during a five-and-a-half year stay at the Banks's Stadium and played a major role in the club's last promotion from the third tier in 2000-2001.

Marsh believes a similar signing now might turn Dean Smith's side from play-off pretenders into genuine contenders.

He said: "Dean has a good track record at bringing in players. We all know how Walsall run the club and it is the right way to do it. They make a profit, which is fantastic.

"If they could just hedge their bets a little bit. Look at Jorge Leitao for instance, we spent £150,000 on him which was a lot of money for Walsall and he proved to be quality.

"He scored a lot of goals and will go down in Walsall's history as a legend. Someone of his quality - that is what we need."

Walsall agreed compensation with Shrewsbury Town and Harrogate to secure deals for striker Tom Bradshaw and goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray this summer.

Marsh, who made 497 appearances for the Saddlers between 1988 and 2001, played alongside Leitao again in Saturday's Club Legends Cup.

He's full of praise for the job Smith has done on one of League One's tightest playing budgets.

Marsh said: "I actually think Dean has over-achieved he has been absolutely brilliant. Personally, I think they should maybe give him a little bit of money to spend and get some of the right players in.

"You just need to add a couple more and they won't be far away. He has done a great job."

The Saddlers are beginning a week-long training camp in Devon. Smith's side will be based at Exeter University and face games against Taunton Town on Wednesday and Torquay United on Saturday.

Smith believes it will be a "positive" week, saying: "The whole group will be able to get together and interact. There will be some intense training sessions alongside some fun team-bonding activities."