Peterborough United preparing for the toughest of awaydays amid transfer deadline day hullabaloo

The Posh squad are due to travel to Portsmouth this morning ahead of Saturday’s League One clash at Fratton Park (3pm).

Defender Ronnie Edwards and striker Jonson Clarke-Harris are expected to travel even though there remains a strong possibility both will be sold before the transfer window shuts at 11pm this evening.

Posh have taken extra bodies to the south coast to cover for the possibility of any departures with transfer-listed defender Josh Knight and Joe Tomlinson also the subject of recent speculation.

New teenage loan signings from Premier League clubs Jadel Katongo (Manchester City) and Zak Sturge (Chelsea) will both be in the Posh squad tomorrow.

Katongo could start if Edwards, who is subject of heavy interest from West Ham United, has departed. Knight could also play after an impressive display in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup success at Portsmouth, but QPR are thought to have resurrected their interest in him.

"In an ideal world the situation with Ronnie would be settled one way or the other by now,” Ferguson admitted. “It does annoy me that clubs know the valuation of our players, but still make silly bids.

"But I’ve been relaxed about the transfer stuff all summer and I still am now.

"We have made plans for any late departures and we will just have to get on with things as we have all season.

"Portsmouth is always one of the hardest away game because of the atmosphere and the fact we had success there on Tuesday will mean nothing on Saturday.

"We have treated both games in isolation and are in no doubt it will be tough to get a result tomorrow.

"Portsmouth have recruited heavily and they’ve made some good signings. They will expect to challenge this season and they should as they are a big club for this division and they have been in it for a long time now.

"But we go there in good fettle and I was pleased that more than a couple of players who played on Tuesday made a good case for playing again tomorrow.

"If we can get a result tomorrow we would have had a very good start to the season. Four of our first six matches have been away, three against teams who will definitely finish in the top 10 and a derby game which was always going to be tough.”

Posh will probably revert to the team that started last Saturday’s 4-2 home defeat at the hands of Derby.