No names have been mentioned, but it’s known that Posh want players with Championship experience to help them survive in the second tier next season.
Posh co-owner Darragh MacAnthony said: “I’ve had several chats with agents and players who are out of contract and it’s remarkable that some still expect wages in the region of £50k a week.
“Obviously they won’t be getting that here.
“I have lists of players who have become available since the end of last season. There aren’t many surprise names on them.
“Trust me, myself, Barry Fry and Darren Ferguson are working hard on them.”
MacAnthony believes Posh need eight new players to build a squad able to compete at Championship level. He says six bids have already been made.
“We want to thrive in the Championship,” MacAnthony added. “We’re not going up there just to try and survive.”
It’s thought Posh are unlikely to sign anyone this month to avoid paying June wages, but MacAnthony and Ferguson would doubtless like newcomers to be on the plane to Portugal for the pre-season training camp in July.
The Peterborough Telegraph has a list of available, potential and downright fanciful targets right here...
5.
OSAZE URHOGHIDE: Position: Centre-back. Age: 20. Status: Rejected a new deal at Sheffield Wednesday so available. Another centre-back from James Mayley’s tipping service and one of the few players to emerge with any credit from Sheffield Wednesday’s desperate 2020-21 season. A more youthful centre-back to challenge Mark Beevers could interest Posh, but unfortunately Urhoghide has also attracted the attention of others with Leeds United, Crystal Palace, Watford and Cardiff all linked with a youngster who has rejected the chance to stay at Hillsborough and is available for a relatively small compensation fee. But that needn’t be the end of Posh interest as Urhoghide could be sent out on loan, especially if he joins Leeds, and the Championship would be a good place to learn his trade. He could expect to be busy if he joined Posh! (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images).
6.
JOE PIGOTT: Position: Striker. Age: 27. Status: Rejected a new Wimbledon contract so available for nothing. A striker who scored 22 goals in a pretty dour Wimbledon side last season won’t be short of suitors and if Posh were still in League One, they would certainly be one of them. Pigott is more mobile than Jonson Clarke-Harris - which could be handy in a Posh team expected to play a pressing game next season - and takes penalties just as well, but he doesn’t have the physicality that many top teams now believe a centre forward needs, and which Clarke-Harris has in abundance. Even so, Pigott is available for nothing and he presumably would be interested in a Posh side who have an uncanny record of improving forwards. Scoring chances will be at a premium in the second tier and Pigott is a deadly finisher. (Photo by James Chance/Getty Images).
7.
MAX WATTERS: Position: Striker. Age: 22. Status: Under contract at Cardiff City. Watters is bound to be linked with Posh purely because they were keen on him in January when he instead joined Cardiff City for a reported £1 million. Watters moved into the Championship six days before Cardiff appointed Mick McCarthy as manager and it could be a striker who was prolific for Crawley in League Two in the first half of last season has yet to win over his current boss. Certainly Cardiff’s signing of Luton Town’s international centre forward James Collins suggests that Watters is not going to start playing regularly anytime soon. Cardiff could be willing to sell, but if they try and recoup a large portion of the fee they paid then it’s likely Posh would look elsewhere, maybe in the direction of Pigott. (Photo by James Chance/Getty Images).
8.
JACK BONHAM:Position: Goalkeeper. Age: 27. Status: Rejected a new contract so a free agent. Posh are keen on a new goalkeeper to challenge current number one Christy Pym and Bonham rejected a new contract at Gillingham in order to get to the Championship. He was an ever-present in Gillingham’s League One side last season and at 6ft 4in tall (according to Wikipedia at least) he fits the Posh desire for a bigger, more imposing ‘keeper than Pym. Ferguson likes his ‘keepers to be good with the ball at their feet and Bonham is untested in that area as Gillingham boss Steve Evans didn’t exactly encourage his team to play out from the back. That applies to another potential recruit Jamal Blackman, a Chelsea goalkeeper who was on loan at hoofballing Rotherham last season. Bonham would come cheaper though. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images).