McAnthony: Sammie deal was tough

THE deal to sign Sammie Szmodics from Bristol City was “toughest” Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony has completed.

The Posh owner lured the attacking midfielder back to London Road on a deal that could be worth in excess of £1 million to the Robins, with the former Colchester United man becoming Peterborough’s best-paid player.

Szmodics joined City last summer but only made three appearances for the Robins before joining Darren Ferguson’s side on loan in January, and MacAnthony has revealed trying to make the deal permanent was no easy task.

“We didn’t want to loan him again as we felt he would be an asset for us,” he said on his Hard Truth podcast.

“The problem there was he was on hefty Championship wages and City understandably wanted to make a profit on him.

“I had to then go into overdrive and get creative on the numbers. I had to agree a deal with the player and his agent and with City and it became the toughest deal

I’d ever done.”

MacAnthony revealed Posh almost withdrew their interest in Szmodics, pictured, due to the numbers involved for a player they had tried to sign from Colchester.

Peterborough faced stiff competition from League One rivals Portsmouth but MacAnthony managed to get the transfer over the line on September 8.

“I was close to pulling out on the night before we signed Sammie. I’d gone as far as I could,” he continued.

“I’d lost the will to live with the deal, but just as I was typing out my email saying ‘thanks but no thanks and good luck for the season’ City came on to me and said everything was agreed, we could conduct a medical and sign him so happy days. “Another club in League One had a bid accepted, but I was always confident Sammie would choose us. “Massive kudos to my partners because the deal wasn’t cheap. We’ve managed to spread it over four transfer budgets which helps with the salary cap. “Sammie is not on much more than than the others.”