Peterborough United boss wants four new players to make his first-team squad complete and he discusses the future of Harrison Burrows

Posh have already brought in forwards Abraham Odoh, Cian Hayes and Chris Conn-Clarke, plus defenders Rio Adebisi and George Nevett, Experienced goalkeeper Jed Steer has also re-signed for the club.

Ferguson is happy with the business Posh have done so far, but there is more work to do. The boss is also planning for life without last season’s captain Harrison Burrows who is expected to join central defenders Josh Knight and Ronnie Edwards, and winger Ephron Mason-Clark, as departures from London Road. The manager didn’t mention striker Ricky-Jade Jones in terms of leaving the club which suggests he is more likely to sign a new contract than join Burrows in his expected move to Sheffield United, as had been reported.

The Posh squad returned for pre-season training on Monday and fly out to Spain for a week-long training camp on Sunday.

“The players have all reported back in good shape which is what we expect these days,” Ferguson told the Posh Plus service. “They all have a programme to follow and there is a threat there if they don’t!

"Most seasons there is a freshness to a squad and we’ve seen a bit more of than than normal. I’m really pleased with the players we have brought in as they all players we can develop, but if we can pick up four more players I will be very happy. We need a couple of centre-backs, but they need to be the right ones. We need a right-back and one more midfielder and the squad would then be complete, but we’re in a good position for this time of the year.

"The reality is clubs like ours will lose players if we don’t get promoted. I expected to lose Ronnie and there has been a lot of interest in Harrison. I doubt he will still be here. If he is then that’s great, but it’s not likely. We worked hard to keep Josh, but the chance of playing in Germany was too good to turn down and we wish him all the best. We won’t lose any more unless I want to sell them.

"Keeping Jed was important for two reasons, one he is a very good goalkeeper who did very well for us last year and two, he’s a calm, experienced presence playing behind somer very young players. There will be no designated number one goalkeeper as I expect Jed and Nicholas Bilokapic to battle it out for the first-team place. We have two very good League One goalkeepers.

"We always have plans in place to replace players who might leave and we spent all of the summer so far trying to get Rion, but Cian was done in 24 hours. That’s the way of transfers these days.

"We are an attractive club for young players. Some clubs will sign them and stick them in the under 23s, but we play them in the first-team if they are good enough. Their age really doesn’t matter. It would be unwise and unfair to compare George Nevett to Ronnie Edwards, but he is very good on the ball and he is left-footed which is also an advantage. He’s still growing into his body and he will make mistakes, something we have to accept.

"League One will be tough this season, but winning promotion will again be a priority and we want to retain the EFL Trophy. We don’t want to have to wait another 10 years to win it again.”

If Burrows does leave Ferguson will name a new captain close to the start of the League One season on August 10.