Smith close to new Saddlers deal

Manny Smith was today closing in on a new contract with Walsall despite a last minute delay in finalising the deal.

The club are eager to tie down the defender and have offered improved terms but talks have hit a late snag after the 22-year-old changed agents.

His new representative wants time to look over the contract before everything is completed.

Smith's contract runs out at the end of the season and boss Chris Hutchings says the next move must come from the player's camp.

He said: "We're in talks and that's been going on for a couple of weeks. It's just stalled on his behalf at this moment in time. We're waiting for him to come back to us.

"He's got an offer on the table, we agreed it and he's just taking time to think about it. Whether he accepts it or not remains to be seen.

"He's here until end of the season and we've done the right things in the manner we feel is right to try and keep him."

Smith has made 27 appearances for the Saddlers this season and while the club are confident he will pen a new deal Hutchings hit out at the late hitch.

"We had been discussing with one agent and then he told us he's got another and that's caused a little bit of a hold up," he said.

"They think they can get X, Y and Z somewhere else and you think 'this is the finances we've got, if you feel you can do that go and do it, we'll move on'.

"I'm not one to worry about it. I'm not the one who is losing money, the player is losing money."

Hutchings has been pleased with Smith's progress this season but admits the defender still has a lot to learn to become a top player.

"He's an up and coming player, he's done well in some and not so well in others if you look at the game at Brentford and places like that. He's learning the game," said the boss.

"Things have always got to be incentive based. Days are gone where you think 'I can get X,Y and Z and that's it'. It's a harsh world out there and you have to earn every penny you can get."