Walsall set for exodus of key players

Walsall first-team stars Romaine Sawyers, Jason Demetriou, Paul Downing and Milan Lalkovic are set to leave the club at the end of the month after rejecting new contract offers.

The club confirmed the news after it placed a deadline of 20 June for players to respond to extension offers, with Sam Mantom, Jordan Cook and Andy Taylor yet to reply with the deadline passed.

The quartet whose futures have been decided leave much for boss Jon Whitney to address, as all four proved integral to the Saddlers‘ promotion push last season with a combined appearances figure of 220 (Sawyers, 57, Demetriou, 57, Downing, 56, Lalkovic, 50).

Demetriou is understood to be having a medical at fellow League One side Southend United, while Portsmouth, who missed out on signing the right-back, are targeting 23-year-old Lalkovic.

As for St Kitts & Nevis international Sawyers, Birmingham City boss Gary Rowett is ahead in the queue for the midfielder, with two other Championship clubs weighing up their options.

Staying at the Bescot Stadium will be Reece Flanagan, Craig MacGillivray and Liam Roberts, as well first-year professionals Kory Roberts and Rory Oliver.

The departures are sure to rock the Saddlers, but Whitney has spoken encouragingly of the club’s intent in recruitment after signing Erhun Oztumer and Kacy Butterfield, saying, “My phone is ringing all the time with agents. But I am quite good at wheeling and dealing. I have been around it for many years,” Whitney told the Express & Star.