Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony has revealed that striker Brad Ihionvien has been handed a clean slate by the club, despite being transfer-listed earlier this year.
With Emmanuel Fernandez completing a £3.5m move to Rangers, the Posh continue to overhaul their squad amid high-profile departures and a summer of financial recalibration.
MacAnthony Eyes Redemption for Striker Amid Key Departures
Brad Ihionvien, who joined from Colchester United last summer, struggled to make an impact in his first campaign, scoring just twice in 15 appearances. Despite being made available for transfer, MacAnthony has now suggested that the 21-year-old could still have a future at London Road—if he matures.
Speaking to Posh Plus during the club’s pre-season camp, MacAnthony said:
“Brad has the attributes he needs to succeed with us. If we can fix between his ears he could be the one. He’s been given a clean slate by the management team and he’s been working hard at camp. He is big and powerful, coach Kevin Russell loves him, but he just needs to grow up a bit and cut out all the nonsense.”
His remarks come amid a flurry of exits from Darren Ferguson’s squad. Defender Emmanuel Fernandez sealed a switch to Rangers, while Ricky-Jade Jones joined St Pauli, Malik Mothersille signed for Stockport County, and Kwame Poku completed a move to QPR.
MacAnthony was candid about the club’s position, admitting that he had turned down lucrative offers last August for several players—decisions he now regrets.
“The biggest mistake I made last August was not selling Kwame Poku, Ricky-Jade Jones and Hector Kyprianou for amounts that would have wiped out the club’s debt. Instead, I put the team rather than the club first,” he explained. “It just didn’t work out.”
On Mothersille, MacAnthony revealed that Stockport matched Peterborough’s offer, and the former Chelsea striker was swayed by the League One club’s project. Regarding Fernandez, the chairman confirmed interest from Italy and Belgium before Rangers won the race, while he described the Poku deal as “life-changing” for the player, adding that a strong sell-on clause could prove lucrative in future.
Writer’s View
This is vintage Darragh MacAnthony—candid, unapologetic, and always one step ahead. The revelation that Ihionvien could stay suggests that Peterborough are weighing internal options carefully before diving back into the market.
The exits of Fernandez, Poku, and Jones reflect a strategic reset, one that may steady the club’s finances while paving the way for a leaner, hungrier squad. But as always with Posh, it’s the sell-on clauses and long-term vision that could yet yield the biggest wins.
