Peterborough United: Dwight Gayle wanted by other clubs

Peterborough United director of football Barry Fry has claimed striker Dwight Gayle is the most in-demand player the club has ever had.

The 22-year-old scored 13 times in 29 games for Posh last season.

"There has never been the interest in one single Peterborough player as there has in Dwight Gayle," Fry told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.

"Everybody at this club loves him. Unless we get a ridiculous amount of money, I think he'll stay."

Gayle joined Peterborough on loan from Dagenham & Redbridge in November, before signing permanently a month later.

And although his goals failed to prevent relegation from the Championship, boss Darren Ferguson revealed the forward had attracted interest from Premier League sides in the build-up to the January transfer window.

A prolific goalscorer in non-league with Stansted and Bishop's Stortford, Gayle has followed former Posh forwards Craig Mackail-Smith, Aaron McLean and George Boyd in making a successful step-up from the lower leagues.

"He's a much more the complete player," said Fry.

"His hold-up play is excellent. He's the best finisher we've ever had, he's got a great spring and is a great header of the ball."

Meanwhile, Fry does not expect Mark Little will stay at London Road next season, with the right-back's contract about to expire on 1 July.

"We made him a three-year contract offer. His agent said he would accept the offer, but Mark phoned the gaffer (manager Darren Ferguson) and said he's not accepting the offer and he's going elsewhere," he said.

"Obviously we've got a time limit, and that's expired, so I think Mark Little will be playing for somebody else."

Midfielder Jack Payne also may not be returning to the Cambridgeshire club after his loan spell last season, despite Posh having initially agreed a fee with his parent club Gillingham.

"We did have an option to buy Jack Payne for a certain amount of money, but we thought it was a bit high," said Fry.

"Paul Scully [Gills chairman] told me Jack was going to Birmingham City for £750,000. I told Paul that Birmingham haven't got 750 pence. I think Paul's playing a bit of a game like we all do."