Walsall will not bow to player power

Walsall manager Chris Hutchings has vowed to not bow to player power this summer with the club looking to call the shots in the transfer market.

The Saddlers face another rebuilding job with just six senior players on the books for next season, but are waiting on answers from the eight men they offered new deals to on Monday.

Ten have left or been released, meaning Hutchings faces a task to make his team competitive next year after guiding them to 10th in League One.

But the manager believes, with budgets forcing clubs to releasing more players, teams like Walsall have the power to dictate.

He said: "Players have held clubs to ransom the past but with the amount available and the squads being cut down, players have to accept what is on offer.

"But we are a good club with good facilities, so if they want to gamble for an extra £25 or £50 a week with a club who haven't got the same facilities that's their prerogative."

Hutchings doesn't expect much movement before the end of the month, but has planned for every eventuality in his plot to build on the Saddlers best finish in six years.

He said: "We have an A, B, C, D, E, F and G list. We have a list of players who we're interested in within what we can pay.

"Whether those players feel they are worth more than that remains to be seen but, like last year, we'll get in touch with them and do our homework."

Captain Mark Hughes, Richard Taundry and goalkeeper Rene Gilmartin are among the players offered new contracts, but Hutchings admits waiting for them to accept is difficult.

He said: "It's always a little bit unsettling, you never know who is going to sign and you are left in limbo because players leave it until late, but we need to sort them out and when that's done we can move on.

"We have to deal with what we've got and we have to see what we come back with."

Hutchings confirmed two year deals have been offered to some of his existing squad – who have a month to respond to the terms.

He said: "One or two have, it depends who they are and how they have performed this year, the most important thing is they have been offered deals.

"They have four weeks to respond."