Peterborough United are facing a fresh financial blow as winger Kwame Poku closes in on a free transfer to Rangers.
The League One club are set to lose the Ghana international for a fraction of his value due to cross-border compensation rules.
Poku Exit Follows Costly Pattern for Peterborough
Posh have built a reputation for developing and selling talent at a profit, but the expected departure of Poku to Rangers is another frustrating example of how English clubs can be penalised by FIFA’s compensation system.
Poku, 23, is out of contract on June 30 and while domestic moves for under-24 players trigger tribunals that typically reward clubs based on a player’s contribution and potential, cross-border transfers fall under FIFA’s guidelines — often resulting in significantly lower compensation.
The winger is coming off an impressive League One season where he registered 12 goals and eight assists despite an injury-hit campaign. Championship clubs including Birmingham City were reportedly interested, but the pull of European football with Rangers and the likely lower overall cost for the Scottish giants appears to have tipped the scales.
For Peterborough, it’s a familiar frustration. Just days ago, they lost striker Ricky-Jade Jones to Bundesliga outfit St Pauli on similar terms. Both players had been developed within the English football pyramid, with Poku signed from Colchester United for just £250,000 in 2021 and Jones brought through the club’s own academy system.
Damaging for Development Clubs
The situation has reignited concerns among EFL clubs over the lack of protection when their players are poached from abroad. While Peterborough will receive some compensation under FIFA rules, it will fall short of the seven-figure fee they could have reasonably expected had Poku moved within England.
This isn’t just a Peterborough problem — it’s a systemic issue affecting many lower-league clubs who rely on player trading to remain financially competitive. When top performers are allowed to leave for cut-price fees, it undermines the sustainability of developing homegrown or under-the-radar talent.
In Poku’s case, the timing adds insult to injury. Having missed out on promotion via the League One play-offs, Peterborough now not only lose one of their standout players but also forgo a key summer revenue stream that could have fuelled a rebuild.
Writer’s View
Peterborough United are rightly angry — and English football should be too. Clubs outside the Premier League invest heavily in player development, but the Poku and Ricky-Jade Jones situations highlight how FIFA’s cross-border rules leave them exposed. For a club like Posh, these aren’t just footballing losses; they’re financial setbacks that threaten the entire model.
The EFL must push for better protection in future negotiations with FIFA, because if developing talent no longer brings adequate returns, the whole structure of English lower-league football could suffer. For now, Peterborough are left to start again — without two of their brightest assets and without the money they should have earned from them.
