Peterborough United boss confident he won't lose any more of his star players this summer
Manager Darren Ferguson admits it would be pointless for him to stay at Peterborough United if the club’s best players keep getting sold.
Ferguson was speaking at a pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s League One game at Exeter City, but he also stressed he is mindful of the club’s financial obligations and therefore comfortable with the transfer decisions made since the end of last season. Posh have sold star men Harrison Burrows and Ronnie Edwards, and also lost Josh Knight who declined to sign a new contract and left London Road for German football. Posh have signed several new players, splashing out close to £2 million in transfer fees on six permanent signings including Oscar Wallin, Abraham Odoh and Cian Hayes who have already shown impressive form.
Ferguson was addressing a question about the continued transfer speculation surrounding winger Kwame Poku who scored twice in a man-of-the-match display as Posh won 4-1 at Shrewsbury Town last weekend. He also issued an update on potential incomings calling a possible return to Posh for last season’s Manchester City loanee Jadel Katongo a long shot.
“Kwame won’t be going anywhere,” Ferguson insisted. “I understand why the question would be asked as there has been a lot of speculation about Kwame and Hector Kyprianou, but the speculation needs to stop. They won’t be going and it really is that simple. They need to concentrate on their football and on trying to have a successful season.
“I can’t keep losing my best players because that would make it very difficult for us to have a successful season. I know we have a budget and we have to get our finances correct, but I knew exactly where I stood at the end of last season because the chairman is so transparent. I knew the figure we had to get to and I knew we would be losing maybe two or three bodies, and it turned out to be three with Josh, Ronnie and Harrison.
“If I was to lose all my players there would almost be no point in me being here because I want to be a winning manager. I will have to manage the situation if big offers from big clubs come in for my players, but I feel I am more than capable of doing that.
"We’ve recruited well again though. Abraham Odoh has been playing well. He’s a lovely had who is very good tactically and we felt we were signing a very good player in Oscar Wallin.
"Another centre-back would be enough now, but it isn’t that easy as so many League One clubs are throwing money around and we can’t always compete on wages. I’d love to get Jadel back as he can play in so many positions, but that’s very much a long shot.”
Captain Kyprianou and centre-back George Nevett will return to the Posh squad at Exeter after recovering from injury. Left-back Jack Sparkes is also available after shrugging off the sickness bug that ended his game early at Shrewsbury last weekend. Sam Curtis and James Dornelly impressed in the full-back positions after the departure of Sparkes to give Ferguson one selection decision to make for Saturday. Kyprianou is expected to start in central midfield ahead of Donay O’Brien-Brady, but Nevett will probably have to settle for a place on the substitutes’ bench.
"The lads are buoyant as you’d expect after winning by three goals away from home last week,” Ferguson added. “We played very well and having Hector, one of the best in his position in the league, back can only help. Exeter have also recruited well though and they continue to bring top young players though. We have three of them in our squad and two of them came straight from Exeter.”
Joel Randall and Archie Collins were signed from Exeter by Posh. Sparkes is the third ex-Grecian in the Posh squad although he moved from Portsmouth to London Road earlier this month.