Peterborough United complete the signing of their number one striker target

The 26 year-old’s transfer fee is undisclosed, but it’s thought to be less than the £1.25 million reported in the Bristol press this morning (August 27).

Clarke-Harris met his new team-mates for the first time this morning and subject to the completion of a medical will feature in Saturday’s (August 29) final pre-season friendly against Coventry City behind closed doors at the Weston Homes Stadium.

Posh boss Darren Ferguson said: “Jonson was our number one target and I am delighted that the deal is done and am looking forward to working with him. His goal-scoring record in the last two seasons with Bristol Rovers has been very, very good.

“He gives us the physicality that we may lose with Ivan. The other strikers we have are all very talented in what they do, but they don’t have that physicality and in certain games when it is not going as well as you would like with the ball, you need someone to get hold of the ball and get you up the pitch.

“Jonson can do that and more. He has matured as a player. I managed him when he was a kid, but he has developed and has done well at this level and he is ready for this step-up to a team that is trying to get into the Championship.

“I am absolutely delighted that the co-owners have allowed me to bring him in. He is going to be a big signing for this football club.

“He is very good at set-pieces, in terms of free-kicks and penalties, so that is something we will look at. He has a very good left-foot. There are areas we need to develop with his game, but he ready for the challenge.

“He has good experience of League One. He is a Leicester lad, so his family is not far from here, which is also important, and I am sure he will settle in quickly. He is not too far behind fitness-wise so will play on Saturday and it was good to get him in at this time before the season gets going.”

Clarke-Harris was with Posh as a teenager in the 2012-13 season, but didn’t make a single appearance. He went on to play for Oldham, Rotherham and Coventry before joining Rovers in January, 2019.

He scored 16 goals for mid-table Rovers last season and has netted 27 times in 52 appearances (6 as sub) for the Pirates.

Posh co-owner Darragh MacAnthony said: “He is horrible to play against and has an excellent goals per game ratio in League One. He hopefully won’t need time to adjust like most new strikers so we can get up and running in our formation from the get go.”