Mat Sadler remains tight-lipped on Freddie Draper's 'potential' Walsall return
Mat Sadler has remained tight-lipped over his transfer targets after reports emerged last night linking former loanee Freddie Draper with a return to Walsall.
Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Walsall are on the market for a new centre-forward after Stoke City recalled League Two top scorer Nathan Lowe from his Walsall loan on Sunday night.
According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Walsall are eying up Draper as a potential replacement in the January window.
Draper scored 10 goals in 21 league appearances on loan at Bescot during the first half of last season but was recalled by Lincoln City in the winter window.
Game time has been limited at Lincoln for the 20-year-old who has been restricted to just three starts in League One this season.
But Sadler was keeping his cards close to his chest when questioned about Walsall's reported pursuit of the youngster.
"No comment," Sadler responded when asked about Draper's return. "Freddie had a great time. Of course he did.
"Freddie is a top young player and of course we like him. We're doing our work quietly and going about things in our way.
"But there is nothing to tell yet."
Walsall sit 12 points clear at the League Two summit but have a huge void to fill in the wake of Lowe's departure.
The 19-year-old netted 18 goals and set-up seven more in 30 matches across all competitions and sits atop of the goal scoring charts in the fourth-tier with a tally of 15.
Sadler revealed that planning for January has been going on behind the scenes for two or three months but reiterated that Walsall's chase for a striker is a marathon, not a sprint.
He continued: "We've obviously worked really hard in the last two or three months in trying to best map out things in terms of how things might fall.
"A lot of work goes on with that, a lot of conversations go on with that. Clearly we're working really hard to decide and go with what we think is the right option.
"And that takes time. I mentioned the other night that I'm not willing to settle, I won't just do something just because we feel we need so let's just do that one because it's available.
"I'll wait as long as I have to for the ones that I want to sign."