Jimmy Mullen is facing a defensive headache as he revealed Walsall failed in a last-ditch bid to bolster their backline.

A Championship defender Mullen had been chasing rejected a loan move to the Banks’s Stadium at the last minute.

The Saddlers boss was desperate to bolster his stretched squad at the back but the unnamed player turned them down on loan deadline day on Thursday.

The failure to snare the player was compounded by Stephen Roberts limping out with a reoccurrence of his groin injury in the 2-1 win over Swindon and the centre back is a doubt for Saturday’s trip to Huddersfield.

Mullen said: “We were very, very close, for the want of a better word. Maybe the player didn’t fancy dropping down to this level.

“He would have improved us without a doubt because he could have played in two positions. He has been in and out of his side but didn’t want to drop down.”

Uncertainty surrounds Michael Ricketts’ fitness with the 10-goal top scorer suffering a groin injury against the Robins.

But Mullen’s deadline day signing, goalkeeper Albin Kajtezovic, should play in the reserves’ home game with Oldham tomorrow.

He was signed as back up for Rene Gilmartin, who produced a man of the match performance as he deputises for the injured Clayton Ince.

 “I am delighted to be out there and showing the fans what I can do,” he said.

“I have been here a long time and they have been obviously wondering what the story is with me.

“We won in front of the home fans and answered a lot of critics.”