Striker has signed on loan from Huddersfield...
Head coach Sean O’Driscoll is pleased to have bolstered his squad with the loan signing of striker Jordy Hiwula.The 21-year-old has returned to Walsall on an emergency loan from Huddersfield until the end of the season.
The talented frontman enjoyed an impressive spell with the Saddlers last term, scoring nine goals in 19 matches following a temporary switch from Manchester City.
And O’Driscoll has revealed that the deal was completed “pretty quickly” and Hiwula was a player who “ticked a lot of boxes”.
“It came out of the blue,” O’Driscoll admitted.
“Jon Whitney came in and said that someone had contacted him, telling him that Jordy was available.
“I went to a couple of games when he was here last time, they were probably the only times, close up, that I’ve seen him play.
“But I spoke to Jon, Neil Cutler and Richard O’Kelly as well, and they said good things about him.
“They said he fitted in with the group and that he was effective, having scored nine goals in 19 games.
“People here know him, he’s been here before and he knows the players so he ticked a lot of boxes.
“We had to make a decision pretty quickly because there were one or two other clubs that were also interested.
“He indicated that if Walsall were interested, this would be his preferred destination. It got done pretty quickly.”
Hiwula could make his second Saddlers debut when Walsall host in-form Barnsley tomorrow afternoon.
The Yorkshire club were bottom of League One in November but are now on the verge of the play-offs after winning ten of their last 12 league matches.
And O’Driscoll has labelled the managerless Tykes, who have Paul Heckingbottom in caretaker charge, as “the best team I have seen this season”.
“They’re a balanced side and a team that can hurt you in various ways,” O’Driscoll added.
“They’ve got a lad who stretches the line and has got really good feet.
"They’ve got someone who plays off him and can score goals, two good wide men and they’re dangerous at set plays.”
Walsall have no fresh injury concerns.