A free transfer is among the club’s top signings

Posh co-owner Darragh MacAnthony has included a free transfer recruit among the list of his best ever signings for the club.

Defender Russell Martin was a makeweight in the deal that also brought winger Sergio Torres to London Road from Wycombe Wanderers in July, 2008.

Martin helped Posh to promotion to the Championship in his first season and went on to play 66 times for Posh before leaving to join Norwich City in January, 2010.

The Canaries were in League One at the time, but Martin was part of a team that won back-to-back promotions to the Premier League. He played over 300 games for Norwich and now manages Swansea in the Championship.

“Finances play a part in what I call a successful transfer deal,” MacAnthony stated. “And we picked Russell up for nothing. We didn’t sell him for a lot, but we picked up a couple of million from

Norwich promotions.

“Obviously the signing of Ivan Toney for £350k and then selling him for what will be £10 million was a big one, but he never won us a promotion whereas Jonson ClarkeHarris did.

“That makes Jonno’s transfer a successful one even at £1.2 million because he scored 33 goals and won the Golden

Boot as well as a promotion.

“But the best has to be Dwight Gayle because we signed him for £600k and sold him for £6 million just six months later and we made more from his other moves as well.”

Gayle joined Posh from Dagenham & Redbridge in 2010 and sold him to Crystal Palace in July 2011.

Dwight Gayle celebrates a Posh goal.

Russell Martin in his Posh days.