Walsall manager Jon Whitney has spoken to the local press ahead of Saturday's season-opening clash with Bury, and has confirmed that former Saddler Matty Fryatt is training with the club as he seeks to return to fitness following several injury-hit seasons.
Jon, who was speaking to the Express & Star's Saddlers reporter Joseph Masi, admitted that the 31-year-old has joined the squad for training as he looks to get back to fitness following his release by Nottingham Forest.
The manager also revealed that he has kept in touch with Nuneaton-born Fryatt over the summer, and went on to confirm that Matty could earn a deal but is still some way off in terms of fitness, he said; "We have got Matty Fryatt training with us at the moment. He has come in and trained with us this week. I have kept in touch with Matty over the summer and I have always been quite close with him.
"I have kept tabs on his career. He has had an incredible career. But for me his career can still go on. He can still achieve lots of things. There is a connection there. His affinity with the club is strong. He likes the environment and the way we do things. He enjoys the group and the team ethos.
"He just wants to have a nice vibrant place to get his fitness levels back and then get out onto the pitch. He is a player we are considering. But he we need to get him back fit and get him enjoying his football again."
While Whitney admitted that he would be keen to add a fully-fit Fryatt to his squad, he urged patience as the former Leicester City and Hull City striker will require plenty of rehabilitation, he said; "We all know he has got incredible ability but he has missed a lot of football. We need to work on that. It was the same in the past when Adam Chambers came to the football club. But he now plays 45/50 games a year. I have got history of helping players get back playing.
"At the moment we are working on his strength and we will see what happens. There are no guarantees. But because I have got a good friendship with Matty I felt it was something worth exploring."