Emmanuel Ledesma 'could still stay at Walsall FC'

Defiant Walsall boss Dean Smith today refused to rule out keeping Emmanuel Ledesma.

The Argentine forward is reportedly in talks with Middlesbrough despite a two-year deal on the table at the Banks's Stadium.

His agent Lucas Cominelli suggested the 23-year-old will quit the Banks's Stadium for the second time in favour of a switch to the Championship.

But Smith wants free agent Ledesma to stay and insisted he still could have a future at the Saddlers.

He said: "We've not given up on keep him. Hopefully Emmy will be here. He's a great lad and a really good professional, hopefully he'll stay.

"We've offered a contract to Emmy and we're waiting for them to come back to us to see if there anything else.

"All I can say is we want him to stay at the club. We've offered him something which I feel is befitting of him and it's down to the agent and Emmy to get back to us. If he's not going to come back I'd hope it would be courteous to tell us so. But if he's not going to stay then that's football."

It will be the second time the former QPR ace has left the Banks's after he returned to Argentina last year after his partner failed to settle.

He made 10 appearances, scoring once, in Walsall's Great Escape before a March comeback to help them to safety again this year.

And Smith insisted Ledesma, who scored four goals in 10 games last season, should remain at the Banks's for the good of his career.

"I'd be disappointed not to keep him. He's used us as a stepping stone but we've used his talents as well," he said.

"I've been perfectly honest with him and told him I believe he would be better staying at Walsall where he can have a good season. That would be the way forward. He hasn't stayed in the same place for a period of time and it would be good for him to have a bit of stability in his career.

"But he will be guided by his agent. He doesn't speak much English but it is getting better."