Walsall have opened talks with Clayton Ince in a bid to keep the goalkeeper at the Banks’s Stadium.

The 36-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and able to talk to other clubs, meaning the Saddlers are desperate to tie to stopper down.

Manager Jimmy Mullen revealed they have changed their position on contract negotiations to keep Ince at the club and have kept their gentleman’s agreement to offer the Trinidad and Tobago international a new deal.

Mullen said: “We made a promise and we have started to do that.

“If we look at last year’s situation with players who were out of contract, the club took a stance that they would look at new contracts at the end of the season.

“That’s what the club has done in the past but we have changed that stance to try and give Clayton piece of mind.”

Ince has been known to be growing frustrated at the delay in talks and had told the Saddlers to recognise his status to the team.

Nottingham Forest and Swansea have been interested this season but Ince, who joined from Coventry on a free transfer in 2006, has always stated that he will give Walsall the chance to extend his stay.