TRANSFER LATEST: Opposition chairmen frustrate Fry deals

League One rivals Swindon are leading the chase for Peterborough United midfielder Harry Beautyman.
Harry Beautyman is a transger target of Swindon.Harry Beautyman is a transger target of Swindon.
Harry Beautyman is a transger target of Swindon.

But the transfer is being held up by a failure so far to agree a fee.

Posh want a small fee for the 24 year-old who has made 45 first-team appearances since moving to the ABAX Stadium from Welling in November, 2015.

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Beautyman was left out of the Posh pre-season training camp in Portugal this week after being told he didn’t feature in new manager Grant McCann’s plans for the 2016-17 League One campaign.

Posh winger Jordan Nicholson is expected to go out on loan.Posh winger Jordan Nicholson is expected to go out on loan.
Posh winger Jordan Nicholson is expected to go out on loan.

Posh director of football Barry Fry, the man in charge of club transfer negotiations, said: “We’ve had several inquiries about Harry, but the main one has come from Swindon. Their manager wants him, Harry wants to go, but Swindon chairman Lee Power seems reluctant to pay us a fee.

“I know he has £800k burning a hole in his pocket after Swindon sold Nicky Ajose to Charlton, but Lee doesn’t want to give us a few bob. Hopefully that deal will eventually go through as we need to get the squad numbers down. We have 30-odd players under contract and that is too many to manage effectively.”

Midfielder Jack Payne and striker Luke James are other players Posh are keen to off-load. Young wingers Harry Anderson and Jordan Nicholson are expected to go out on loan.

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Fry added: “Jack doesn’t figure in Grant’s plans. He spent last season on loan at Orient and we had a deal set up for them to take him permanently, but Jack doesn’t want to go there.

Posh winger Jordan Nicholson is expected to go out on loan.Posh winger Jordan Nicholson is expected to go out on loan.
Posh winger Jordan Nicholson is expected to go out on loan.

“Jack cost us a lot of money, but he is available on a free transfer. A couple of clubs want him and have promised to match his financial package, but Jack doesn’t want to drop into League Two.

“That’s frustrating for us as is a deal involving Luke James going back to Hartlepool falling through. Hartlepool’s manager Craig Hignett wants him badly, Luke agreed to drop his wages and we had a deal set up that the Hartlepool chairman has now welched on.

“It’s tough on Luke who is due to become a father soon, but after a month of negotiations with the player and Hartlepool, the deal is now off. Portsmouth and Oxford had shown an interest in Luke, but that interest waned as the player looked set to go to Hartlepool.

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“Jordan and Harry need games to help them develop their careers. We like them both as players, but they are out and out wingers and we are currently playing with a midfield diamond. They can go out on six-month or year-long loans, but we will have a recall clause for both.

“It’s been a busy summer for me. We have seven new contracts going in and we have landed every one of the manager’s targets except one.”

Posh missed out on Colchester midfielder George Moncur who chose instead to move into the Championship with Barnsley.