Peterborough United submit offer for 23-goal player amid Ipswich Town & Portsmouth interest | OneFootball

Peterborough United have seen an early bid for Altrincham’s goalscoring sensation Chris Conn-Clarke rejected, according to reports.

The Daily Mail revealed that Darren Ferguson’s side have failed in their initial attempts to lure the non-league forward ace to the club, after he netted 23 times in the National League last season.

Former Fleetwood Town man Conn-Clarke has turned plenty of heads in the EFL with his outstanding performances in the fifth tier this campaign, with Ipswich Town and Portsmouth also said to be interested in bringing him to their respective clubs over the summer.

With Alty missing out in the playoffs to eventual winners Bromley, a move to the Football League looks like the next step for the exciting attacker, who only joined Phil Parkinson’s side last summer.

Chris Conn-Clarke form for Altrincham has seen Peterborough make offer

Conn-Clarke took the National League by storm in the season just gone, with the 22-year-old making the move to the non-league side in a club-record deal.

The forward featured just four times for the Cod Army before leaving for the J Davidson Stadium, having already spent spells at the Manchester-based over the course of the previous two seasons.

Since making the move permanent last summer, he has gone on to have a season to remember, with his 35 goal involvements the most in the division, as well as having the most dribbles (299) of any player at that level.

It is no surprise that a number of EFL clubs have taken an interest in the shining young talent, with his ability to beat a man and find the back of the net on a regular basis sure to appeal to clubs higher up the football pyramid.

After losing to Bromley 3-1 in the National League playoff semi-finals, Alty are facing another season at the top level of the non-league game, but manager Parkinson has all but conceded that keeping hold of his prized possession will be an impossible task.

“When a player does what he has done, in terms of goals and assists, the bigger clubs are going to come calling, and it's very difficult to stop that natural next step happening.

“If he is still with us at the start of next season, I will have the biggest smile on my face you have ever seen. If not, I won't exactly be amazed.”

Peterborough United have a fantastic record of polishing non-league gems

If ever a side was going to be scouring non-league for the finest talents it would be Peterborough United, with The Posh one of the best at recruiting players from outside the top four tiers of English football.

The likes of Dwight Gayle, Aaron McLean and Craig Mackail-Smith have all found London Road to be the place to make their name after excelling on the semi-pro circuit, and Ferguson is looking at Conn-Clarke to be the next one through the door.

United will be looking for a player to fill the boots of another non-league graduate in Ephron Mason-Clark this summer, with the forward joining Coventry City in the January transfer window for a fee said to be in excess of £5 million.

Mason-Clark joined the club from Barnet in the summer of 2022, following the well-trodden path from The Hive to London Road, having been the same route Ronnie Edwards and Jack Taylor have taken in the past.

Ferguson and boss Darragh MacAnthony have prided themselves on bringing the best of non-league into the EFL in recent seasons, and will be hoping they can do the same with Conn-Clarke for the next campaign.