Walsall boss Jon Whitney: I’ll be patient in window
Jon Whitney is hoping to make at least three signings this month – but the Walsall boss insists he will only sign players who are right for the club.
The Saddlers squad is currently light on numbers after former loanees Zeli Ismail, Daniel Agyei and Shaun Donnellan all returned to their parent clubs.
Whitney’s men travel to take on Charlton on Saturday before they then have a 10-day break from action.
But they then face a frantic spell which sees them play Blackburn on January 30 before contesting seven fixtures in February.
And Whitney knows he must bolster his squad before the window closes, with a centre-back, winger and striker his primary targets.
“We need another centre-half to come in, we need something out wide and something up top,” the boss said. “We have our targets and we are also still looking.
“Agents ring me all the time, we’ve had offers of players but I can’t just bring people in to make the numbers up.
“I have learned over the last couple of years that sometimes you can jump too early so we will wait and we will be patient. But if the right one comes along we will see what we can do.”
Meanwhile, Saddlers goalkeeping coach Neil Cutler has been linked with a move to West Midlands rivals Albion.
The Baggies are on the hunt for a new goalkeeping coach after Jonathan Gould left the club to join Middlesbrough.
Cutler, who along with Ian Sharps is also Walsall’s assistant manager, is widely viewed as one of the best goalkeeping coaches outside the Premier League.
The Express & Star understands, Albion are interested in speaking to the former Stoke keeper about joining Alan Pardew’s back-room team.
But a deal has not been agreed with the Baggies also considering other candidates.
