Other contract talks on hold

Contract talks for the Posh players manager Darren Ferguson wants to keep have been put on hold until the end of the League One season.

Posh will release all six players who fall out of contract this summer, but Ferguson has asked for extended deals to be awarded to others.

Star striker Ivan Toney is one of those players whose current deal expires in June 2021. Posh plan to make him the most lucrative contract offer in the club’s history if they are playing Championship football next season.

Posh director of football Barry Fry said: “Darren has asked if we can extend contracts for some players which is a decision for the chairman.

“But it makes little sense to hold those conversations now when there is so much uncertainty and we don’t even know what division we will be playing in.”

POSH LOANEES CAN STAY

Posh have secured permission from the parent clubs of their three loan players, Sammie Szmodics (Bristol City), Josh Knight (Leicester City) and Reece Brown (Huddersfield), to keep them until the 2019-20 season ends.

“The players want to stay and their clubs have been very good to deal with,” Fry said.

FRY’S WISH TO BE GRANTED

Fry’s wish for the transfer window for lower division clubs to be scrapped has moved a closer to reality.

Fry believes the ability to trade in players throughout a season is vital to help clubs through the inevitably dire financial consequences of football’s lockdown.

And a leaked report suggests the EFL are likely to apply to FIFA to make it happen.

SMALLER SQUADS FOR SURE

Fry is certain lower division clubs will be operating with far smaller squads next season.

“It’s inevitable,” Fry said. “This lockdown is already hurting lots of clubs and I can’t see it getting better very quickly.

“Clubs will have to cut their cloth accordingly which means fewer players on less money.

“I can’t see any way around that. I hope the players who are released in June can get fixed up.”