WALSALL boss Darrell Clarke has suggested Sunderland’s offer for captain George Dobson was too low.

The Black Cats have moved for the 21-year-old midfielder to boost their ranks after Lee Cattermole’s departure, and they are keen to recruit younger players too.

Dobson was left out of Walsall’s 1-1 draw with Leamington last night and Clarke, the former Hartlepool midfielder, has hinted that offers for him have been too low. There is also interest in Morgan Ferrier.

And Clarke said: “They have shown a desire to leave, which is football. What I will say is they won’t be going anywhere until they meet the figure we have set, simple as that.

“For me, I have to build without them. That can change, you never know in football.

“The way the game works now, with agents involved, players see a big, big pay rise may be around the corner. And sometimes they want to leave.

But they won’t be disrespecting the club. And to be fair they have been knuckling down. They won’t mess me about that’s for sure because if they do I’ll chop them off at the knees. But they know that.”

Sunderland manager Jack Ross is keen to bring a number of fresh faces into his squad this summer to improve the chances of promotion back to the Championship.

They face South Shields in the first friendly of the summer on Thursday night.