Walsall not rushing new striker search

Walsall manager Chris Hutchings has insisted he will not rush into splashing the cash.

The Saddlers boss has money to spend after being handed a chunk of the fee fromTroy Deeney's £500,000 switch to Watford.

The club is unlikely to have received the money up front, with the fee understood to be littered with add-ons, plus £150,000 if Watford get promoted.

But Hutchings says he can't afford to blow what money he has on the wrong player.

He said: "We have to make sure we spend it wisely and correctly. It's always a gamble when you buy, get a free transfer in or a loan.

"We don't want to act hastily and just think 'we've got to get someone in'. We're doing our homework in the proper manner.

"We are trying to do things, whether that happens before Tuesday or Saturday remains to be seen. We are working extremely hard and are on the phone to a lot of clubs.

"You can have a quick fix with a loan but we want something a little bit more permanent."

But Hutchings is acutely aware he is short of firepower and cannot rest the Saddlers' hopes on first year professionals Jamie Paterson and George Bowerman as back-up for Darren Byfield and Alex Nicholls.

The manager said: "We need another striker, we have Will Grigg but the other lads are young boys, we need an experienced player to come in.

"We want one like everyone else does, who is going to hold up the ball and get goals. It's not rocket science.

"But you don't have to be a big man to be good in the air, I played with David Speedie and he was fantastic in the air but they are few and far between.

"We want a bit of presence up there."

Hutchings insists the Deeney saga didn't upset his plans despite the striker being sold just 24 hours before the start of the season.

He said: "I don't think it did, these things happen in football and you get on with it.

"You move on and hopefully we can get a couple of players in."