The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Dembele could still start the season at Posh as transfer market is quiet
Posh have not ruled out starting the Championship season with wantaway forward Siriki Dembele in their side.
Dembele has shown little interest in new terms offered by Posh following promotion from League One at the end of last season.
And with club policy dictating the transfer listing of any player entering the last year of his contract who rejects a new deal, Dembele is expected to be sold.
The player handed in a written transfer request last January, but stayed to help Posh to promotion.
He is not short of suitors with Fulham, Rangers, Celtic and West Brom all linked with a 24-year old who was a star of the Posh promotion season in 2020-21, but director of football Barry Fry insists no bids have yet been received.
“It’s been quiet as far as bids are concerned,” Fry said. “And it could be that Siriki starts the season with us. If he does he would be best advised to play his heart out for Posh as the transfer window remains open until September 7 and that gives him a month to impress someone.”
Posh would expect several million for a player who cost them about £250k when he moved to the Weston Homes Stadium from Grimsby in June 2018, but many potential bidders at Championship level are not exactly awash with cash because of the pandemic.
Dembele returned later than other players for preseason training because of a need to self isolate after a family member tested positive for covid.
Speculation did develop this week when his former Posh team mate Ivan Toney sent a message to Dembele stating ‘can’t wait to play with you again soon.’
Toney is preparing for a season of Premier League football with Brentford, but Fry told the Peterborough
Telegraph the Bees have made no contact with Posh this summer.
Posh have yet to replace Dembele so if he is still at the club for the first Championship match of the season at Luton on August 7 he would most
likely be named in the matchday squad.
Posh have signed midfielder Jorge Grant from Lincoln City, but he is not a rival for Dembele’s position.
Posh were still trying to push through a deal for former
London Road favourite Jack Marriott last night (Wednesday), but he is more of an outand-out striker.
Dembele is thought to favour a move nearer his young family who are currently based in Scotland.
Dembele has scored 26 goals for Posh in 123 appearances (95 starts). Last season he was the first League One player to record the 10 goals and 10 goal assist double. He scored 11 League One goals in total and 13 in all.