DJ exit, priorities and make or break time - inside Walsall's contract state of play
Walsall announced their released and retained list earlier this morning and the biggest surprises are not those leaving the club.
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Club captain Donervon Daniels will be leaving Bescot alongside Jack Earing, Oisin McEntee and Danny Johnson.
The club also triggered option years for Rico Browne, Evan Weir and Jamie Jellis, while the rest remain at the negotiating table.
DJ exit 'best for all parties'
Johnson's return was held up as a marquee signing and generated significant excitement during Sadler's first summer at the helm.
The anticipation ramped up further when he netted in his first two games: a 2-1 defeat at Morecambe and a 2-1 triumph over eventual champions Stockport County in August 2023.
Yet it quickly became clear that his shortcomings out-of-possession were costing him his place in the team and that soon descended into a divisive topic among supporters.
He scored six goals in the last 15 minutes in League Two (more than any other player in the division) but he never fully accepted his role as an impact sub.
Following a forgettable 14-minute cameo from the bench in a 2-0 defeat at Barrow, Johnson would never play for Walsall again, and cut a frustrated figure on the sidelines for the remaining games.
Johnson clearly wants to find regular football and Walsall are unwilling to offer him it. So his departure seems to be the best possible solution to the problem.
