Peterborough United have had a busy summer window so far, bringing in a number of players as well as losing key, in particular, attackers they wouldn’t have chosen to.
Kwame Poku’s departure always looked likely, while Hector Kyprianou and Ricky-Jade Jones were also out of contract and have indeed departed Posh.
Malik Mothersille is the most recent departee from that blistering attacking lineup that allowed Peterborough to compete so well – but for significant money.
Christopher Conn-Clarke and Abraham Odoh are the key attackers from last season remaining, and it’ll surely be expected of Gustav Lindgren to step up after just a handful of starts following a £500,000 move last September.
Goals and attacking threat lost – but for money… sometimes
Poku was always going to be incredibly hard to keep this summer, even if he were still in contract.
The Ghanian has played 124 games across the last three season and managed 20+ goal contributions in the last pair – impressively getting two more in 18 less games this season (22 in 31 vs 20 in 49).
He was strongly linked to Rangers as his contract expiration became good knowledge, and yet perhaps questionably, opted for a move to the capital by joining QPR.
Due to his age and the fact he remained in England, Peterborough were entitled to compensation, and the two clubs came to an agreement to avoid tribunal.
Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony said: “I am delighted that Kwame has decided to join a club whereby the football club secured a solid transfer fee and a fantastic sell-on clause to continue to share financially in his success in going to the top.
“We wish Kwame and his family nothing but the best for the future.”
While Posh would’ve certainly wanted to keep their incredibly talented attacker – even if it were just to receive more of a fee, but the money they did receive from him remaining in England is certainly a bonus.
Jones was the first of the high profile attackers to move on, comparatively leaving for Bundesliga side St Pauli, formerly managed by now Brighton boss Fabian Herzeler.
He departed in mid-June for the German side who finished 14th last season, but as a result the 22-year-old does not allow Peterborough to claim any compensation for him.
Rules dictate that the player, if under 24, must remain in England to earn their departing club a fee.
Posh would’ve bene on track for a reasonable figure after Jones joined the club aged nine, but in the end received just a small training compensation fee.
In his time with Peterbourgh he played over 200 times, including a mammoth 113 in the last two seasons alone, getting 40 goal contributions in the pair of years.
On the move, owner Darragh MacAnthony said, “He turned down four brilliant Championship clubs to do this move which has cost his home town club a lot of money.
“Not going to lie, it stings and makes me bitter for the moment as the kid has been with us so many years and I couldn’t have been more supportive of him but we move on and don’t look back.
“This is football and it can kick you in the nuts at times.”
As a result Peterborough will be delighted to have gotten such a fee for Malik Mothersille – even if that then meant 75% of their main attackers had left the club this summer.
The 21-year-old Jamaican international left for Stockport for a club record fee for the Hatters, who haven’t revealed the exact figure but say it eclipses the £800k mark and other sources suggest it nears £1M.
Mothersille was another to play a huge number of games last season, featuring in 57 matches and claiming 16 goals and 10 assists.
Posh were determined to ensure more players didn’t leave for free this summer and were able to trigger an extension in the attacker’s deal after he rejected improved deals.
Although another big loss, Peterborough will perhaps be grateful for a significant fee allowing them to reinvest across several positions.
What now for the EFL Trophy holders?
Darren Ferguson is a serial winner of the competition. The Scot guided Posh to their third trophy this spring, retaining their title after a confident 2-0 win over centurions Birmingham.
Between that prize money and what was received between the key attackers in particular, Peterborough should be able to reinvest at least £1M across the pitch – but especially in attack.
They’ve not gone without signings already this summer: 20-year-midfielder Brandon Khela joined from the Blues for an undisclosed fee, they re-signed defender Sam Hughes from Stockport for a fee after he played for them on loan last time out, and keeper Alex Bass joined from Notts County for around £300k – as per owner MacAnthony.
Posh also dipped into the National League again too, hoping to replicate some of the great business they’ve done from the levels below themselves previously, by signing Braintree forward Kyrell Lisbie – their first deal in late May.
Cyprus international Kyprianou leaving on the expiration of his contract to Watford will hurt as much as the attackers leaving too.
The captain had come in for criticism regarding his attitude and was dropped in late January, albeit still played 40 season games, but was certainly a key asset.
Kyprianou is yet another to have played such a number of games across the last three seasons: 46, 54, and then 40 games this season make it 140 appearances in that time since joining from Leyton Orient.
That pattern goes to demonstrate that Peterborough have tended to operate with a somewhat familiar group across the last three seasons.
As noted earlier, there’ll be bigger expectation now on talaented attackers Conn-Clarke, Odoh, and Lindgren to step up all the more and fill the boots of the players they’ve largely deputisded to now.
Odoh was, in fairness, often picked and managed 20+ contributions, but the Swede and Northern Ireland man only got 11 in 47 when they did appear.
Ferguson rejoined the club over two years ago now after Championship relegation in 21/22, and since that under him they’ve finished 6th, 4th, and 18th.
Peterborough and MacAnthony will now be wanting to spend what money they received from their outgoings in typically wise fashion, and get back to the promotion pushing seasons they’re used to.
