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The manager, who recently completed a twelve-month course as he seeks to earn his UEFA A license, insisted that he had been a long-term admirer of the former Burnley attacker, revealing that he had attempted to sign the Coventry-born man during his time with Wrexham.
Speaking via the club's official website, Saddlers.co.uk, Dean said; "He’s somebody I looked at last season when I was at Wrexham. I’d done all my checks on him and I spoke to Wacka at Lincoln about his character. Unfortunately, we couldn’t do it and he ended up going to Tranmere instead.
"I didn’t have to do too much due diligence on him this year as it was something I had already done previously. He’s a young man we want to develop and work with – but he’s also someone who can go straight into the team and challenge for a position.
"He’s previously been here so he knows the club and what we’re about. It’ll be a lot easier for Josh coming into the changing room as he knows a lot of the lads already from his loan spell here a couple of years ago. He’s learned his trade. He’s had a couple of loans and knows what men’s football is about. He’s been involved in two promotions and been in changing rooms that have achieved their objective at the end of the season.
"He’s somebody I’m looking forward to working with and watching develop and perform on a football pitch. I’ve no doubt he can do that – he’s got pace, power and can excite the fans. He can get at defenders and beat people. He ticks the boxes of what I want at the football club."