Exclusive: Walsall chairman Leigh Pomlett outlines plans for January window

Pomlett has spoken exclusively to the Express & Star on a wide range of topics, focusing on matters both on and off the pitch.

The question on every fan’s lips at the moment is what the Saddlers’ plans are for the January transfer window.

Pomlett insists they have room within the budget to improve the squad, but with Covid-19 still at play and the new Omicron variant to factor in, he does not want, or believe Walsall need, to be spending significant sums on fresh faces.

Addressing the club’s thinking going into the market, he said: “There are restrictions on loan players. We’ve got our full quota.

“So, if we were to do a loan, it would have to be one out and one in, or we’ve got sign somebody permanently else we’ll be restricted.

“There is room (in the budget for signings).

“I would not anticipate a huge turnover, or any. I think we might bring one in, possibly two, but I wouldn’t anticipate – and don’t want – any turnover.

“I think the squad is good, and I think we can mount an attack on promotion with the squad we’ve got.

“But if we have to bring in one or two, then we will do.

“I don’t anticipate us having to lose anybody. Of course, this time last year, we lost Elijah Adebayo. Did that damage us? Yes, it did.

“But there was no way we could keep a lad who’s now banging in goals in the Championship.

“I think we’re fairly stable and if we need to bring somebody in, we could. One or two is possible.”

Pomlett, although he does not think they will lose any players in the new year, says the presence of technical director Jamie Fullarton gives Walsall more stability in the unlikely event that someone does depart.

He admits last year, after selling Adebayo to Luton, it was a case of ‘what do we do now?’.

This time around, provisions have been made and a long list of potential recruits has been drawn up as a back-up plan.

When asked about bringing in new players and whether they are likely to be paying any transfer fees in January, Pomlett explained: “I wouldn’t want to mismanage expectations.

"We are in a Covid situation and I have to protect the football club.

"I personally don’t think there’s any requirement to pay a transfer fee for footballers at this moment in time. You can attract footballers to this club that we want to attract, and there’s a lot of footballers looking for work.

“I don’t see transfer fees being a feature of what we do in January.

“I think we can attract very good players without having to do that.”

Walsall did pay an undisclosed fee to snap up Jack Earing from Halifax Town in the summer, and Pomlett admits the success of his signing means they would happily dip into the non-league pool again.

He says Fullarton, whenever the Saddlers are playing an away game, will instead be at ‘a Fylde, Halifax or anywhere he thinks there’s a player who’s worth his time and attention’.

Pomlett, though, believes the upcoming window will be ‘really tight’ across League Two, and in League One.

Again, for Walsall, it will be a case of perhaps agreeing a permanent deal for one of their loan players and then bringing in another loanee, or seeing what else they can do on frees – Otis Khan a successful free agent signing back in October.

“You look at the players we’ve got, the ones we’ve got on loan, and they’ve all made a pretty damn good contribution,” said Pomlett.

“Frankly, I struggle to see any League One or League Two club – apart from one or two exceptions – parting with money in the January window for players. I think the market is going to be really tight.

“Clubs are genuinely concerned about the next wave of Covid.

“Does that mean they’re going to rein it in and make sure they preserve their cash? I would, and I will.

“You’ve got to be smart. I’ve said it a thousand times, the team with the biggest budget in League Two this year won’t get promoted, and the team with the smallest budget won’t get relegated.

“You have to be smart with what you’ve got.”

Pomlett added: “There’s many things you do with a football club that are just as important as how much you’re spending on players.

“Throwing money at clubs in League One and League Two guarantees you absolutely nothing.

“You can end up with a cash crisis, the banks get nervous, and you’ve mismanaged the club. So, you’ve got to be very careful.

“I genuinely can’t envisage having to pay a transfer fee in January, because you simply don’t need to.

“And anyway, cash will be so tight for clubs.

“I’ll be surprised if we see many transfers of money. I’ll be very surprised. You might see League One and Two teams selling players to Championship clubs to help them get through it.

“But we don’t have to do that.”