Peterborough United don’t know what division they will be playing in next season, but they are identifying new signings and sorting out a retained list

Posh manager Darren Ferguson is adamant the 2019-20 campaign must be completed no matter when the coronavirus crisis is over, but he also insists on using the current football lockdown to look ahead.

Posh are likely to lose star man Ivan Toney whether they go up or not. On-loan star Sammie Szmodics is also not expected to return next season.

“I’m treating the current situation as a close season,” Ferguson admitted. “I have already held talks with the chairman abut which players I want to keep from the current squad and who I would like to recruit.

“We have a plan A for if we are in the Championship and a plan B if we are still in League One.

“There could be a very quick turnaround from this season to next season so it’s important we are prepared for either eventuality.

“My own view is the current season must finish, even if it takes until December.

“The current position is no football before April 30, but that will doubtless be extended.

“But even if this season resumes in July and the next one starts in August the players will cope.

“They are super-fit athletes these days.

“Our lads are training hard at home and I trust them completely to carry out the schedules we have set them. We have to be ready to play as soon as we get the go-ahead, although there will inevitably be a mini pre-season for them.”

One bonus of the lockdown is the club’s injured players, Nathan Thompson, Frankie Kent, Jack Taylor and Szmodics should all be fit by the time football is given the all-clear to resume.

Posh are current sixth in League One, but just three points behind second-placed Rotherham.