Busy Barry Fry on the Posh players he’s negotiating contracts with and the clubs that tried to sign Mo Eisa in January

Fry has opened contract negotiations with several players Posh want to keep for Championship football and he’s charged with selling the four players now placed on the transfer list.

The 76 year-old will also handle the bids and contract negotiations for players Posh are keen to recruit.

Key defenders Nathan Thompson and Dan Butler, plus goalkeeper Christy Pym and star forward Siriki Dembele all have one year left on their current Posh deals, but all have been offered new contracts.

Posh will also offer an improved deal to centre-back Frankie Kent and have given young midfielder Kyle Barker (20) another year in the hope that regular under 23 football will develop him further.

Posh will stick to their policy of placing players on the transfer list who refuse a new offer after entering the final year of their existing deal.

“That remains the club policy,” Fry confirmed. “We have opened negotiations with players who are entering the last year of their contract.

“We’re hopeful they will all stay, but it will have to be on our terms not theirs. We’re in the Championship, but that doesn’t mean we can start paying players £15k a week.

“We are also offering a new deal to Frankie Kent because he deserves one after his form of the last two seasons.”

Posh boss Darren Ferguson is keen to keep Dembele at the club. The 24 year-old handed in a written transfer request in January because of personal circumstances that are not thought to have changed.

Posh will expect sizeable fees for transfer-listed pair Mo Eisa and Ryan Broom, but the other available players Dan Gyollai and Serhat Tasedmir, could be allowed to leave for nominal amounts.

Posh will do well to get anything like their money back for £1.2 million Eisa or Broom who cost in the region of £200k when bought from Cheltenham under 12 months ago.

“It’s difficult to know what money will be about this summer,” Fry added. “The pandemic and no fans has stretched most clubs financially, but we will expect a fee for Mo and Ryan.

“We turned down three bids for Mo last January. Huddersfield wanted to swap him for Reece Brown, but we turned that down.

“MK Dons also wanted him, but couldn’t raise the money and Charlton showed an interest, but they’ve changed manager since then.

“I am going to have my busiest summer, but as far as signings and sales are concerned I doubt much will happen for a while.”