Martin O’Connor admits Walsall’s players want to know where their futures lie and has revealed they have already held tentative talks with some out-of-contract stars.

Captain Stephen Hughes, Jabo Ibehre, Clayton Ince and Paul Boertien are just four of the 13 players whose deals expire in the summer.

Assistant boss O’Connor realises the need to tie the Saddlers’ stars down as they look towards next season.

He said: “We have 13, they want to know where their futures lie and we know what the budget is.

“It’s difficult because of the economic situation we are in but we’ll offer the players, who we think are worthy to stop at the club, what we can manage.

“There will be players who will be disappointed but that’s the nature of football. There have been a few conversations with a few players but we don’t like to do our business out in the open.”

But O’Connor insisted the Saddlers are no different to other clubs in the Football League as they try and tie their squad down.

The Saddlers are still gripped by a defensive injury crisis with Boertien and Netan Sansara huge doubts for Saturday’s visit of Cheltenham.

They join centre-backs Anthony Gerrard and Stephen Roberts on the sidelines.