Peterborough United boss can sign three new players, but he only wants two, co-owner implements transfer plan B, but won’t be signing ‘giraffes who can’t play football’ and there’s a plan in place if Fulham make a ‘seriously substantial’ offer for Dembele

Ferguson told the Peterborough Telegraph yesterday (August 24) he was seeking two new signings, one is a central midfielder and the other for an as yet undisclosed position.

However Ferguson is not expecting any new arrivals before Saturday’s tough Championship home fixture against West Bromwich Albion (August 28, 8pm), even though key midfielder Jack Taylor remains a doubt with a hamstring issue.

“Jack has a chance of being on the bench, but I won’t risk him unnecessarily,” Ferguson stated. “As for new signings it’s doubtful we will have anyone in before Saturday, but I’m hopeful something will happen before the transfer window closes.

“We definitely need one and possibly two.”

Posh co-owner Darragh MacAnthony revealed the club have moved on to plan B as the young Premier League defensive midfielder they were promised on loan has broken into his current club’s first-team squad so might not be coming to the Weston Homes Stadium after all.

MacAnthony spent Sunday analysing data and contacting scouts as new transfer targets were assessed.

“I spent nine and a half hours on Sunday working on plans B, C and D,” MacAnthony said on today’s (August 25) edition of his popular ‘Hard Truth’ podcast. “I have the manager’s back on this so he can get on with the things he could be doing. If he had to spend the time on this it would drive him mad.

“The player we were promised might not be coming so we have to plan accordingly. It’s no secret we are after a central midfielder and a player in one other position.

“If the manager wants three players he can have them, but it will most likely be two. And they have to be right for the club and the way we want to play.

“I’ve been checking data and speaking to scouts. Any new players have to be right fitness wise as we can’t spend two months bringing them up to speed. Age, cost and personality are all important and we’ve been revisiting players we thought we’d missed out and checking if they are playing regularly and whether or not they might be available now.

“People have been saying we need bigger players to head out these set pieces, but we won’t be getting 6ft 7in players in who can’t play football. We won’t be signing a couple of giraffes and have 20% of our team unable to pass a football.

“We also have a plan in place in case Fulham, for instance, come in with a substantial offer for Siriki Dembele. It would have to be seriously substantial because he’s shown he can rip up the Championship already, but if it happens we have to react to it.”