Manny Fernandez after scoring for Posh. Photo Joe Dent/theposh.com.placeholder image
Manny Fernandez after scoring for Posh. Photo Joe Dent/theposh.com.
Ex-Peterborough United centre-back Manny Fernandez is now a transfer target of Premier League leaders Arsenal, according to reports.
The 24 year-old’s £3.5 million transfer from Posh to Rangers last summer was widely mocked by many with connections to London Road, but his form in the Scottish Premiership, after a slow start, has now prompted interest from major European football forces.
‘Teamtalk.com’ broke the story that Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Everton, Chelsea, Bayer Leverkusen and West Ham United are interested in Fernandez.
The response of Rangers has been to slap a £35 million price tag on Fernandez, a fee that would represent a record sale for Scottish football. This currently stands at the £25m that Celtic secured to sell Matt O’Riley to Brighton in August, 2024. The Rangers record sale is £20m when Calvin Bassey moved to Ajax.
That sort of fee would be welcomed at Posh who have a considerable sell-on clause for Fernandez who made his senior international debut for Nigeria on Saturday.
Posh paid no fee for Fernandez who was a non-league player with Ramsgate when Posh took him on in July 2021. He didn’t set the world alight at Posh during his 61 appearances, but others saw potential including Championship side Norwich City who had a £2.5 million bid for the player accepted six months before he left for Ibrox Park.
Fernandez shocked many by rejecting that move. His excellence at set-pieces – he has scored six goals for Rangers – could be an attraction for Arsenal.
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