Top scorer Craig Mackail-Smith has been linked with Championship sides Cardiff and Birmingham in the last couple of days, while goalkeeper Joe Lewis is reportedly a target for QPR, also of the Championship.

But Posh Director of Football Barry Fry, the man who deals with all transfer negotiations at the club, insists there will be no sale of assets during the January transfer window.

Fry said: "We have built a young and exciting side who have been brilliantly coached individually and collectively by the manager and his staff so it's no surprise that clubs are sniffing round our players.

"But the chairman is even more adamant than me and the manager that we will not sell any of our best players. We want promotion again this season, but it won't happen if we let our best players leave.

"We have had no bids lately and I have been with the Cardiff and Birmingham managers in recent weeks and they have not mentioned any of our players to me.

"We had 31 scouts at the Leeds match and 17 at the Dagenham match, but that doesn't mean they were just watching our players."

Chairman Darragh MacAnthony is not expected at a Posh match until January because of business commitments, but is in constant contact with Fry and manager Darren Ferguson.

Ferguson said: "We are bound to see stories about our players in the newspapers, but we won't be selling anyone."

Lewis is in the England Under 21 squad seeking to clinch their place in the European Championship Finals next summer by beating Wales in a play-off match at Aston Villa tonight. England won 3-2 in the first leg last week when Lewis failed to make the substitutes bench.

Star striker Aaron Mclean, midfielder Dean Keates and centre-back Shane Blackett are all expected to play some part in tomorrow's reserve team fixture with Watford at London Road.

Posh are next in League Two action at Carlisle on Saturday.