Walsall transfer state of play as Mat Sadler addresses January plans

Walsall maintained their 12-point cushion at the League Two summit after coming from behind to beat Notts County 2-1 at Meadow Lane on New Year's Day and extend their hugely impressive winning streak to seven league games. 

Speculation surrounding potential departures have inevitably followed in the wake of Walsall's rise to the top but manager Mat Sadler feels the club are in a strong position heading into the window.

Asked if he is concerned by interest in his players, Sadler responded: "No. That is a biproduct of doing well and that's what we want. 

"Ultimately that's what we want at the football club, we want young and hungry players and we want other teams wanting our players. 

"But we're a very well run football club and we don't need to do anything. That puts us in a very strong position to not have to worry about stuff like that.

"Clearly I get asked the question about January there. January is January and people go crazy a little bit. 

"You're happy when it closes but my job is to make us stronger in the second half of the season and keep everybody together. That's what I'll be aiming to do."

According to reports, Harry Williams and Jamie Jellis are being monitored by a number of clubs, with Football League World 'claiming' Walsall have rejected a pair of bids from two League One clubs for the latter. 

Jellis is out of contract in the summer although Walsall have the option of extending his deal by a further 12 months. Williams, who joined from non-league Alvechurch in 2023, has also entered the final six months of his contract at Bescot. 

But the question on everybody's lips is whether Stoke City will recall 17-goal hero Nathan Lowe this month. On the topic, Sadler revealed that the Potters have the option to bring him back to the Bet365 Stadium but hopes Walsall's close relationship with Stoke will boost their chances of keeping him. 

He added: "There's a period in the month (where Lowe can be recalled) as there is with any loan contracts I've done. But we work really closely with Stoke. 

"We've got a good relationship with the guys there and we're all kind of singing off the same hymn sheet. We've got good lines of communication and I think they can be pleased with how Nathan has done and what he is doing. Long may it continue.

"Football is football so everything is changeable but what I will say is, Nathan is doing very well, we're looking after him well and he is a wonderful kid to work with. 

"We really take pride in taking care of the young lads that we have. Tommy the same, Nathan the same. Long may it continue that we're a good place for clubs to want to send their players and hopefully that continues to be the case with Nathan."