Yahoo News Peterborough United owner admits Coventry City 'surprise' as transfer stance revealed
Peterborough United’s owner claims Coventry City have not made a bid for Harrison Burrows and expressed "surprise" that they haven’t, given how effectively the left-back operated with Ephron Mason-Clark at London Road last season.
Posh chief Darragh MacAnthony has also predicted that Sky Blues signing Mason-Clark is a strong candidate for the Championship’s Player of the Year, while also tipping Mark Robins’ men to get promoted.
City have been linked with interest in Burrows for months, and in an interview with his club’s subscription channel, MacAnthony revealed that three Championship clubs and a ‘massive’ League One outfit are all keen on the 22-year-old, who is currently in Spain at the Posh pre-season training camp, albeit expected to leave London Road before the start of the EFL season on August 10.
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But MacAnthony has told chasing clubs they won’t get their man on the cheap, even though he’s entered the last year of his Posh contract. The Peterborough Telegraph claims it has been told Burrows has agreed to join Sheffield United, although the Blades are unable to commit to spending money until a takeover at Bramall Lane is complete.
Preston North End and Coventry are other clubs thought to have been monitoring Burrows, says the report, but MacAnthony revealed the latter are not among the bidding clubs. The article says title favourites Birmingham City would appear to be the League One club showing interest.
“Harrison is coveted by multiple clubs,” said MacAnthony. “Three Championship clubs have constantly been bidding for him and one massive League One really wants him. They all tell me we are asking too much for a player entering the last year of his deal, but I ask them how they would value a homegrown 22-year-old who won the League One player-of-the-year award last season?
“He’s under 24 and he’s been with us since he was nine, so I’m actually very relaxed about his contract situation as we’d get millions from a tribunal if it went that far.”
He added: “I won’t name the clubs involved, but I’m surprised Coventry aren’t one them. Harrison and Ephron Mason-Clark were superb on the left for us last season, but I wouldn’t try and tell Coventry what they should be doing as they are one of the best in the business at what they do. I believe Ephron could become player-of-the-year in the Championship because of his appetite to succeed, and Coventry are my outside tip to go up.
“Harrison will get his move and he’s ready to play in the Championship, but it has to be the right deal for us as well as him. It’s difficult for a League One club to be able to keep the League One player of the season for another year, especially as he can get 4 to 6 times more in wages. We have his replacement in the building already and what a fine player and leader he looks already.”
