The shock Peterborough United sale to Scottish giants Rangers that could yet make the club even more millions

Posh fans were staggered when Scottish giants Rangers splashed out £2.5 million on centre-back Emmanuel Fernandez last summer. Fernandez had made 61 appearances in four years at Posh following a spell in non-league football with Ramsgate.

Few Posh fans mourned his departure. Most laughed their heads off at the transfer fee, but Fernandez, Rangers scouts and London Road officials, could eventually laugh the loudest according to Barry Fry.

The 80 year-old Posh director of football reckons Rangers will one day make millions on Fernandez which would be good news for his old club who have a decent sell-on clause for a 24 year-old who has become a first-team regular at Ibrox since Danny Rohl became manager. He’s even managed five goals in 17 appearances for Rangers, which is again good news for Posh who also inserted a goal-bonus clause when they sold him.

Fry, who is discouraged from talking to the PT in transfer windows, gave an interview recently to the Glasgow-based Daily Record. He said: “I read all the comments when we sold Manny about how he was our worst player and all that nonsense. But he just needed a chance to prove himself at that level and Rangers fans are now seeing that.

“Manny has enormous potential. He’s 6ft 5ins, he can head a ball - and he can play. We knew that if they had faith in him and he got an opportunity he’d be a top player up there.

“There was real competition to sign him when Rangers came in, from Europe and the Championship. We had a £3 million bid from Norwich City for Manny, which we accepted, but he turned that move down. Then we had Italian and Belgian clubs interested as well.

“That’s why it took us around five weeks to get the deal done with Rangers. But we got a good deal, which includes a sell-on and a few add-ons including goals.

“But trust me, Rangers will make millions on Manny in the future. He signed a five-year deal so he’s got plenty of time to grow.

“But they’ll eventually move him on and - for us - hopefully that’s sooner rather than later!

“We had Manny for four years and at first, he didn’t play too many games for us. But for our Under-21s, he was our leading goalscorer at one stage. We had the likes of Harrison Burrows taking in-swinging corners and he was getting on the end of them.

"The key thing for Rangers was Kevin Thelwell and Dan Purdy from Everton ending up at Ibrox (as sporting directors). They watched Manny in an FA Cup tie when we played them at Goodison. He was magnificent that day. They had previously watched him away at Birmingham when Manny scored.

“And then in the EFL Trophy Final at Wembley in April, with 72,000 people watching, he was outstanding again.

“When we got him from non-league, we knew there was massive potential in him. We’ve had so much success with non-league players. We like them because with players at that level, it’s not all about money. It’s just about getting an opportunity to play. That’s why we only buy potential. We can’t afford to sign players who are the finished article.

“He’s a huge player for Rangers now. Who’d have thought when Russ was in charge at the start of the season that they’d have a chance of going for the title?

“But the new manager is now on a great run and Manny has played a big part in that. In the games I’ve watched, he’s defended really well and made some terrific blocks. Any Rangers fans who were moaning when he signed will now be delighted with him.

"But seriously Manny is a great guy who deserves success.”