Walsall boss keen to keep Jason Price
Walsall boss Dean Smith today revealed he is eyeing a permanent swoop for loan hitman Jason Price.
Walsall boss Dean Smith today revealed he is eyeing a permanent swoop for loan hitman Jason Price.
The manager has spoken of his plans for the first time after the transfer window slammed shut last night without any deadline day action at the Banks's Stadium.
The Saddlers couldn't sign the striker for free during the season if Carlisle cancelled his deal – which expires in May – because he was contracted to the Cumbrians when the window shut.
But they can extend his loan until the end of April and snap him up at the end of the season – something Smith is already considering.
He said: "It depends how Jason does, if we like him and if he likes us, but if he does well enough we'd certainly try to make it permanent.
"We've got to discuss it with Carlisle but at the moment he is surplus to requirements there, otherwise they wouldn't have let him out on loan.
"If he makes a big impact, which could be the case, they might want him back. We'll have to see."
Price is believed to be keen on a switch after admitting he has no future left at Carlisle.
And a free transfer – if they could strike a deal with Price – would be ideal for the Saddlers after Smith confirmed they didn't have the funds for cash transfers.
Their last payout was £4,000 for James Constable from Chippenham in 2006 and their record deal is still Alan Buckley's £175,000 switch from Birmingham in 1979.
He said: "Walsall aren't in the market to go out and buy people. We don't get the revenue in to go out and buy players. We run a tight ship and a good ship.
"We know what market we're in and we know we have to utilise it the best we can. We've done it before and got promoted doing it before. Last season was the same and we finished 10th.
"What we have to do is get the right players with the right pedigree and character.
"If you want to go and get the better non league players then it's going to cost you money, so it's the loan market.
"We're not the only club playing it."
Reports linking the Saddlers with Leon Knight were wide of the mark.
