Richard Money will meet with Walsall owner Jeff Bonser next week to determine the club's playing budget for their League One campaign.
Money, who has guided Walsall to promotion with three games to spare, will tell Bonser he needs more resources to make sure the club are not just able to bridge the gap between the two divisions, but will actually challenge at the top of the division.
While the two have had broad discussions about what is required, nothing has been set in stone and, given his own ambitions, he will also press Bonser for more cash.
"He [Bonser] comes back from Cyprus at the weekend and I am sure we will sit down next week and formulate some sort of plan in terms of how much there will be," Money said.
"What is for sure is that we will need more in the next league. There is absolutely no doubt about that.
"I am pretty sure he is aware of that situation and from my own point of view I don't want to be in charge of a club that is just going into the next division just to make up the numbers. That is of no interest to me whatsoever.
"We will need strengthening and a group of better players to improve the first team. Having said that we will need a good squad of players and there are a number of players here who we would like to be part of that squad."
Money has already expressed his optimism that his current stock of defenders - Allan Picken, Anthony Gerrard, Ian Roper, Scott Dann, Emmanuele Smith and Chris Westwood - will be able to make the step up but believes the team requires an out-and-out goalscorer.
His chances of securing the right man are helped by the fact Walsall's early elevation means they are already able to plan ahead at a time when some of their rivals are still uncertain about next season's status.
"Everybody is well aware who's out of contract but we have got the opportunity to get in a bit quicker than one or two others," said Money.
Kevin Harper may well be out too expensive, though. The attacker who joined on loan from Stoke City two months ago has urged Walsall to make the deal a permanent one but Money is concerned about the players' wage demands. n Walsall may have discovered a new man to fill the problem right-back position in their last three matches as they battle for the League Two title after clinching automatic promotion.
Tony Bedeau, the striker who has had such a disappointing time since joining he club from Torquay United at the start of the season, made a surprise appearance in defence as the reserves beat Shrewsbury 2-0 in a Pontin's Holidays League Central Division match at Bescot Stadium yesterday.
He played right-back, and hardly put a foot wrong in an all-action display.
Bedeau did so well he could be considered for the new role in Saturday's home game with Bury, a team with whom he recently spent a month on loan.
Ishmel Demontagnac put Walsall in front with a 15th minute penalty after Par Cederqvist had been fouled, and promising young striker Troy Deeney was again on target with the second goal from a tight angle five minutes from the end.
