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Jon Whitney: Two Walsall signings by end of week

Boss Jon Whitney says he is confident Walsall will unveil two new signings later this week.

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The 46-year-old revealed contracts have been agreed with a goalkeeper and a centre-back with the deals set to be announced once the players have completed their medicals.

Those tests are due to take place in the coming days with Whitney confident of confirming the arrival of the pair later this week.

“We are hoping to announce two signings later this week,” the boss said.

“The medicals will be done by then and I’m due to meet two players at the ground so we can let the fans know.

“Everything has been arranged. The deals have been done verbally. Contracts have been agreed. It’s just a case of meeting up and, subject to medicals, we will have them signing on the dotted line.

“One is a goalkeeper and the other is a centre-half.”

Earlier this week, reports in the national media emerged linking Saddlers with a move for Coventry defender Jordan Turnbull.

Walsall were said to be competing with Bradford Charlton and Wimbledon for the 22-year-old.

But despite being a fan of the former Southampton man, Whitney said he is not the centre-back he is closing in on.

“He is somebody I have looked at in the past but he is not a target this year,” Whitney added.

“I was looking at him in January but Coventry paid money for him to sign him from Southampton and gave him a really good contract.

“I do like him. But he isn’t one of my primary targets.”

Meanwhile, Whitney said he wasn’t too disappointed to miss out on signing former loanee Eoghan O’Connell.

The 21-year-old impressed in 17 appearances for Saddlers last season after joining on a temporary basis for Celtic.

O’Connell was snapped up by League One rivals Bury last week but Whitney said he always expected O’Connell’s wage demands to price him out of a return to the Banks’s Stadium.

“I wanted Eoghan but I was always aware I could be out priced,” the manager added.

“I was in constant contract with Eoghan and his agent. But I have always had other targets because I knew Eoghan was never a definite. I like him and I had positive talks with him and his agent.

“But we missed out for financial reasons. Eoghan is above our wage bracket.

“For sustainability we have a certain wage budget and we have to keep to that.

“And Eoghan has got every right to go and earn what he can elsewhere.”