Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony confirms that he rejected a deadline day bid from Sunderland for Championship skipper Mark Beevers, speaking to the Hard Truth podcast.
It’s funny how a 6-0 defeat can alter your thinking.
Before Sunderland’s shellacking at Bolton Wanderers, the League One promotion-chasers had turned their nose up at the prospect of bringing an experienced, 32-year-old centre-back to the Stadium of Light.
But it was a different story after a defeat which some have labelled the worst in Sunderland’s history.
“We had Sunderland come in for Beevers. Which was really bizarre,” MacAnthony explains.
“Three weeks before, we had made Beeves available. We approached clubs earlier in the window and one of them was Sunderland.
“I know Lee Johnson did want him. Sunderland, at the time, decided that they didn’t like his age and his wages.
“And then comes deadline day we are getting phone calls from them asking to bring Beevers in. I think they had just lost 6-0.”
Did Sunderland really need to sign Mark Beevers?
Peterborough did say goodbye to one of their key players on the final day of the January transfer window.
“I’m not having a dig at Sunderland. But at that stage, we had made the decision…that no one barring Dembele was leaving on deadline day,” MacAnthony adds.
“Beeves is our club captain and the manager has got him back in and around the team We don’t want to lose him now as we can’t replace him.”
Johnson was sacked in the wake of Sunderland’s humiliating defeat at the University of Bolton Stadium.
The Black Cats are yet to announce his replacement, amid speculation linking Grant McCann, Mick McCarthy, Neil Lennon and former Nottingham Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi with the post.
Former Sunderland hero Roy Keane is also in contention.
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