Posh star Siriki Dembele to be a target for a Premier League club during the January transfer window

Siriki Dembele after his hat-trick for Posh against Shrewsbury.

Dembele has been a Posh star of 2020 with some dazzling displays as a forward and on the wing. Earlier this season he claimed the first hat-trick of his career in a 5-1 win over Shrewsbury at the Weston Homes Stadium.

Posh are intent on keeping Dembele until the summer, as they did with Ivan Toney. in the hope he helps the club into the Championship. The recent financial rescue package of EFL clubs could help Posh towards that aim, but a January transfer hasn’t yet been ruled out.

MacAnthony said, on his popular ‘Hard Truth’ podcast: “Siriki will be the next one we sell to the Premier League. In fact one club is desperate to sign him and I’ve told them to come back in January and then next summer.

Jack Taylor scores for Posh against Fleetwood earlier this season.

“We don’t want to sell him in January, but without a bailout we’d have had to do what’s best for the club. Siriki could play in the Premier League now without a doubt.

“After Siriki, Jack Taylor would be the next to go the Premier League.

“And there is a batch of youngsters below these two we have hopes for.”

Posh sold Dwight Gayle to Premier League Crystal Palace in 2013.

“Funnily enough Dembele reminds me of Wilfried Zaha,” MacAnthony added. “He’s definitely a Crystal Palace type player.”

Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce was understood to have been watching Dembele in a Posh game at Crewe last month.

MacAnthony is due in the UK this week when plans for the January transfer window are bound to be discussed.

Posh might have to offload players before they could purchase replacements to stay within the League One salary cap.