Walsall striker Will Grigg signs for Brentford
Angry Walsall manager Dean Smith today hit out over Will Grigg's Brentford move as Jamie Paterson moved closer to an exit for the lure of the Championship.
Smith fired a parting shot at Grigg and his agent as the 21-year-old joined the Bees with the Saddlers claiming they had offered him a four-year deal to stay.
Paterson also seems likely to depart with Nottingham Forest favourites to sign him and that will leave Saddlers boss Dean Smith having to rebuild his entire strike force for the upcoming League One campaign.
Grigg has joined Brentford on a three-year contract and Smith said: "We are extremely disappointed to lose Will.
"We had a number of chats and started negotiating a new deal with him many months ago.
"We, as a clu,b did everything possible to keep will at the Banks's Stadium. We offered him a four-year contract; the best contract we have ever offered to a player in League One.
"I feel his agent hasn't done him justice by getting him a move to a league higher such as the Championship but life moves on and we will replace Will.
"I would like to wish Will all the best but, as he's moved to a club at our level, in League One, I can't at this moment in time."
Smith, having already lost another forward in Febian Brandy to Sheffield United, has lost the battle to keep Grigg, his 20-goal top scorer from last season's campaign.
But he had hoped to hang on to Paterson, the 21-year-old already the subject of a rejected offer from Huddersfield last month.
However, Forest were said to be in advanced negotiations with both Walsall and Paterson's representatives over the weekend with a view to finalising the deal.
But the Saddlers are adamant no fee had been agreed – and Middlesbrough are also said to be keen. Smith will now lead his squad on a pre-season training trip to Trinidad & Tobago on Wednesday.
He has two of the spots in the travelling party already reserved for trialists, a goalkeeper and a forward, but is likely to extend other invitations now.
Walsall are set for a tribunal tussle with Brentford over Grigg, for whom they can claim compensation.
The clubs are thought to be some way apart on the value.