Transfer Update: Loan Target Goes Elsewhere; Keates Keen on Central Defender

With the 2018/19 League One campaign beginning in under a month, Walsall manager Dean Keates has spoken to the local press and offered a transfer update, where he revealed that the club missed out on a loan signing last week but will continue to be patient as the World Cup is slowing down all negotiations.

Walsall-born Keates, who has already added four players to his squad after securing the signatures of Andy Cook, Chris Dunn, Josh Ginnelly, and Zeli Ismail, is keen to boost his defence and is hoping to secure the signing of a centre back on a permanent deal.

Speaking via the Express & Star, Dean said; "There are one or two irons in fire. It’s just a waiting game. There are a lot of clubs hanging fire at the minute on their younger players.

"They won’t let them out because they have got players at the World Cup and there is a possibility they could get injured out there. There are one or two we have missed out on but that happens.

"One of the centre-backs we were looking at was a loan but he has gone elsewhere. But there is another one I am looking at on a permanent and if I can pull that one off I will be delighted."