Peterborough United owner Darragh MacAnthony responds to Ronnie Edwards, Southampton links | OneFootball

The young defender has been linked with joining the Premier League side.

Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony has responded to reports linking Posh centre-back Ronnie Edwards to Southampton.

Reports surfaced from The Athletic stating that Peterborough were in talks with an unnamed Premier League team over the transfer of the 21-year-old defender.

Edwards has been a standout performer in League One over the past couple of seasons. He made his debut for the club at just 17 years old and has been rewarded with call-ups to the England under-20s side in the past.

Soon after, Alex Crook of talkSPORT said that Southampton were in talks with the third tier side about a deal for Edwards.

The reporting of the former outlet suggested that other clubs outside of the one that they are currently in talks with are also interested in the 21-year-old, but that there was confidence that an agreement could be reached for the transfer of the young defender between the current negotiating parties.

Darragh MacAnthony's response to Ronnie Edwards, Southampton links

MacAnthony is certainly much more active on social media than other EFL chairmen. He has his own podcast where he has openly talked about his club's dealings, not in minute detail but certainly to a larger extent than others would.

Underneath Crook's report of the Saints' interest in Edwards, one football fan commented: "@DMAC102 will let us know."

A Premier League move for Ronnie Edwards feels inevitable

The language that the Posh chairman used in his X post didn't do much to refute Crook's claims or that of The Athletic about his club being in talks with a Premier League team.

Reporters like Crook and Adam Leventhal, who broke the news for the now New York Times-owned online publication, tend to be not far off the mark with a lot of things. So it feels safe to assume that even after MacAnthony's comments there is at least something to the reports.

This is the Peterborough model after all. Develop young talents into brilliant prospects, sell them on for a good fee and continue the cycle. Edwards is arguably the pick of the bunch to have come through this factory full of fresh-faced footballers.

He has been a pillar at the back for United in their last two campaigns, both of which saw them reach the play-offs.

Edwards has all the fundamentals that you would want from a central defender in this day and age. Strong on the ball, strong off the ball, can cover ground quickly and read situations well.

The EFL has shown itself to be a very solid proving ground for sprightly players. This lad has been playing at this level, and thriving, since he was a teenager. Even when they were in the Championship in the 2021/22 campaign he was a solid performer.

Like the Jarrad Branthwaites and Adam Whartons of recent times, he has the ability to play at the top level. It was only a matter of time before a top-flight team tested that theory.