Kwame Poku tipped for Rangers stardom as Peterborough chief reveals destiny and truth behind Celtic rumours
Peterborough legend and current director of football Barry Fry is tipping his star man to go right to the top
Kwame Poku's numbers speak for themselves after a season where he tore League One apart down south.
In fact the only figures that won't stack up relating to the departing Peterborough winger will be the ones relating to a compensation fee, according to Posh director of football Barry Fry.
The 80-year-old London Road legend insists Poku is destined for the Premier League one day such is his ability on the wing.
Fry just fears losing the 23-year-old for next to nothing should he chose to leave England in the course of the next few weeks with Rangers keen - along with clubs from Portugal, Belgium and Germany.
Anything other than a move to another English club would see Peterborough resigned to accepting a compensation fee under the lower rate FIFA guidelines.
But Fry knows he's worth so much more than that. In 27 league games for Darren Ferguson's side last season Poku produced 12 goals and eight assists.
He was a key man as they beat Birmingham City at Wembley to lift the Vertu Football League Trophy for the second time in as many years - with the Blues now among the clubs keen on taking the player and taking him with them into the Championship.
In the four seasons since his move to the Weston Homes Stadium the former Colchester United winger has scored 30 times in 147 appearances.
But the last campaign was the standout, despite missing over three months from December to March after surgery on his hamstring. Fry reckons he's one of the best he's seen at Posh. And he's been there long enough.
Speaking to Mail Sport, he said: 'Kwame's top drawer. The Rangers fans would absolutely love him if he went up to Scotland.
'He's a very, very skilful player. A very exciting player. He gets the ball and you get on the end of your seat. You expect things to happen when he is in possession.
'I think wherever he goes, he'll be a fan's favourite because he's such an exciting player. But he scores goals too and creates them. He's a lovely lad and I've really enjoyed him being at the club.
'In truth I could have sold him on January 1. There was a dozen top clubs in the Championship, wanted him then to push forward, but he was injured. He never played until the end of March.
'He still got in the League One Team of the Year - and he missed almost half the games through injury. So it just shows you what an outstanding player he is at our level.'
Destined for the English Premier League one day? Fry said: 'One million percent. He's only 23 so I've no doubt he'll get there.
'He's a lovely boy, and he's got tremendous potential to go to the top. But wherever he goes next, he's got to play.'
Birmingham appeared to be leading the chase for Poku as Chris Davies looked to tool up for the Blues' return to the second tier next season. But the League One champions are reported to have grown frustrated with the length of time the player is taking considering his options and are now assessing other targets.
That, and the prospect of European football, could yet play into Rangers' hands for Poku, whose one cap for Ghana came in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. Just like Vaclav Cerny, the Croyden-born winger plays on the right but is stronger with his left foot and a real threat cutting in off the wing.
Cerny, who spent last season on loan at Ibrox from Wolfsburg, has a £9m price tag on his head and a list of suitors across the continent. That's led new Ibrox boss Russell Martin - himself a former Peterborough player - to look elsewhere.
Poku, should he choose Ibrox, would likely cost closer to the £300,000 Rangers paid Charlton for Joe Aribo six years ago under the same FIFA tribunal system. Should he choose to stay in England then, if no fee was agreed, the Professional Football Compensation Committee would decide on a price.
And that panel are known to take a far broader range of factors into account when setting the fee, such as the player's stats, interest from other clubs, the contracts on offer, previous fee, age and time with the academy.
That's why Posh are desperate for Poku to choose another English club as his next destination. But Fry admitted: 'Well, I would, but then again, it's not up to me. It's up to his agent and what Kwame wants to do.
'I know Russell Martin very well, because we bought him from Wycombe, and we sold him to Norwich, before he helped Norwich get up to the Premier League.
'I haven't seen much of Rangers, but I know Russell likes football players. And Kwame is a very good football player.
'I've not heard from Russell. But he's got no need to ring me, in all honesty. I'd heard before that Celtic were in for him too.
'But I know Brendan very well, and I know Gavin Strachan, who used to be Darren's assistant down here. None of them phoned me about him.'
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