Port Vale: Leitch-Smith deal depends on budget, says Page

Leitch-Smith has scored 21 goals in 136 league games for Crewe and Yeovil

Port Vale manager Rob Page has admitted any deal for striker AJ Leitch-Smith will depend on the size of his budget.

The former Crewe trainee, 25, is a free agent after leaving Yeovil Town this summer and scored twice in Vale's latest pre-season game on Wednesday.

"He's a gifted footballer and there was a lot of hype around him a couple of years ago," Page told BBC Radio Stoke.

"Scoring two goals will help his confidence but we have to take budget restraints into consideration."

Vale have already brought in six new players during the close season, including a six-month loan deal for Watford striker Uche Ikpeazu.

Midfielders Michael O'Connor and Chris Birchall have also signed new contracts.

It leaves Page with little room for manoeuvre, with chairman Norman Smurthwaite revealing finances are very tight.

And Page knows he does have options up front.

"With the numbers that we've got, there's competition for places up there," he said.

"There was a lot of talk in the summer about strikers coming in and we've seen Uche and Enoch Andoh stake a claim and it'll be good to see how they all do."