Peterborough United are poised to offer a new contract to Malik Mothersille after the forward’s impressive performances in recent weeks have underlined his value to the promotion-chasing side.
The 21-year-old has emerged as one of League One’s most effective attacking threats since being moved into a central playmaking role. That tactical switch paid immediate dividends as the former Chelsea youngster netted once and assisted another in Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Charlton Athletic.
Mothersille is now Peterborough’s leading scorer in the league with 11 goals, and shares the club’s overall top scorer honour with Ricky-Jade Jones on 15 goals across all competitions. In addition, his tally of seven assists is second only to Wrexham’s Ryan Barnett in League One.
Posh keen to tie down in-form forward
With his current two-year deal set to expire this summer, Peterborough do have the option to trigger a one-year extension. However, manager Darren Ferguson has hinted the club will likely go further in their efforts to secure the services of their in-form forward.
“Malik’s a very good player,” Ferguson said. “His running from a deeper position is causing teams so many problems. He misses chances which can happen, but he is currently playing so well and offering so much. We have an option on him for next season anyway, but I imagine we will be offering him a new deal.”
Mothersille’s journey to Peterborough has seen him pass through the academies of Leyton Orient and Chelsea. He joined Chelsea as a scholar in 2020, but struggled to break into their U18s and was loaned to Derby County’s youth setup in 2021. A bright spell with Chelsea’s development squad later earned him a place in a senior training camp in Abu Dhabi, though he made only one friendly appearance for the Blues.
Following a trial with Everton in the summer of 2023, the London-born attacker signed with Peterborough on deadline day in September. His rise since then has been swift, and he now looks central to the club’s plans on and off the pitch.
Writer’s view
Mothersille’s progression at Peterborough has been rapid and impressive. His switch to a more central, creative role has added a new layer to his game, and it’s no surprise the club want to secure him long-term. With his current trajectory, retaining him could prove crucial in both the short-term promotion push and longer-term ambitions of the club.
