Premier League club enters Peterborough United transfer talks amid Southampton interest | OneFootball

Multiple Premier League clubs have been linked with a move for Posh star Ronnie Edwards

Peterborough United are in talks with an unnamed Premier League club over a deal to sign Ronnie Edwards this summer - with Southampton a club that are interested in landing the starlet.

According to The Athletic, the Posh are not planning to stand in the 21-year-old’s way of a move as long as an acceptable offer arrives.

Edwards has already received international recognition at Under-20 level by competing for England, having earned a lot of praise for his performances in League One for Darren Ferguson's side.

United failed to gain promotion to the Championship last season, but Edwards - alongside now-Hannover centre-back Josh Knight - still stood out as one of the top talents in the division.

Edwards featured 45 times in League One, as they lost in the League One play-off semi-finals once more - this time to Oxford United, who went on to claim promotion to the Championship themselves.

Peterborough are currently in talks with a Premier League side over a potential deal for Edwards, with his future likely away from the Posh.

There is optimism that an agreement can be reached on a deal between all parties, which will allow the player to jump up two divisions in one go.

That club could potentially be newly-promoted Southampton, who according to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook are interested in a deal for the 21-year-old.

The Saints have already landed Man City defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis on a permanent deal following their promotion to the Premier League, but they could now also add another English centre-half in the form of Edwards to their ranks as well.

Edwards earned his Peterborough debut at the age of just 17, coming off the bench in a 2-1 win over Oxford in Round One of the FA Cup following his move from Barnet in the summer of 2020.

His league debut came just a month later in December 2020, starting a 1-1 draw against MK Dons.

His proper breakthrough into becoming a regular presence in the first team squad arrived during the 2021-22 campaign, where he played 34 times in the Championship as the team suffered relegation with a 22nd-placed finish.

Since then, Edwards has made 85 appearances in League One, but his future now appears to be away from the Weston Homes Stadium.

The defender has just one year remaining on his current contract, meaning this is Peterborough’s last chance to cash in on the exciting, young prospect, with a new contract being signed unlikely.

Multiple clubs have expressed an interest in the player, but the Posh’s valuation has yet to be met.

It was also reported in January that Fulham, Crystal Palace and West Ham were interested in the defender, but no move came to fruition.

Ronnie Edwards' inevitable Premier League move will be a big test

Edwards’ talent was obvious from the moment he broke into the Peterborough squad, earning a chance to play at senior level at quite a young age.

He has been a key player for the club since he was 18-years-old, making him quite an experienced defender for someone of his current age.

Losing him will be a blow to Ferguson’s side, but the potential fee for him will almost certainly be multiple millions.

That is money that can be reinvested back into improving the squad as a whole, with Peterborough eyeing another promotion push next year.

Edwards has excelled in League One, and has built up solid experience in the Championship already in his career.

But the step up to the Premier League will be a whole other challenge, and he may need some time to adapt to his new surroundings, if a deal gets over the line.

It remains to be seen what the next step in his career will be, but it is no surprise that Premier League clubs are looking into his signature given his potential.

Peterborough have managed his development well, and will now likely benefit by earning a big fee for his sale, with National League outfit Barnet also set to profit with a 50 per cent sell-on clause, as per The Independent.