Ferguson plays the waiting game

Sir Alex’s son Darren, we might add before we start chomping at the bit on some juicy gossip surrounding the Old Trafford business towers, as his Peterborough United side look to a far less sensational loan deal for a defender by the end of the week.

The Posh have been hindered at the back since Ryan Bennett packed his bags and left for Norwich in January and the Canaries were even generous enough to include a potential loan deal for one of their players in the opposite direction, if Ferguson chooses.

"It is a matter of waiting on a couple of internationals at the club we're dealing with getting through their games this week. But I'm not going to panic about it. Craig Alcock will be fit and can play at centre-back if required”, said Ferguson to the Peterborough Telegraph.

He went on to tell the local Telegraph “we’ll have to wait until Thursday, if it happens at all” once everybody returns from the kerfuffle of the International friendly week before getting the pen and calculator out to do some business in calmer surroundings.

Sky Sports News say Ferguson is looking to add new faces to that sparse back-line which is more threadbare than a military ration box, despite the addition of Shaun Brisley from Macclesfield Town a fortnight ago.

One defender who won’t be coming through the arrivals lounge at London Road is Crawley’s Kyle McFadzean after Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony revealed on Twitter that he had found his pursuit of the centre-half more frustrating, to paraphrase, than a game of buckaroo with a 6 year old, after seeing a bid rejected in January.

Meanwhile, in a move that is healthy for everybody involved, goalkeeper Paul Jones looks to be in place for a new deal when his contract expires in the summer. "I like it here. The club and supporters are great, we play in a good league and I'm settled," he said to BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.

He will be pleased to know that his boss is bang on the same wavelength as he continued in his Telegraph interview to say "We're in the process of negotiating a new contract and I have a meeting planned with his agent. I certainly want Paul here, he wants to be here and we're trying to get it done."

Jones wants it, Ferguson wants it, we want it, we don’t know if you want it but there should be no reason why not, it’s all a bit heart-warming to see footballing relations so amicable.

@AdamGray1250