Peterborough United director of football Barry Fry expects West Brom to come knocking for their highly-rated manager Darren Ferguson.

The Baggies are ready to begin their hunt for a new boss after a £2million compensation package was agreed and Tony Mowbray was granted permission to speak with SPL giants Celtic.

Ferguson has been mooted as a potential candidate to succeed Mowbray at the Hawthorns, but Fry is hopeful of retaining the Scot after he secured promotion to the Championship last season.

Fry said in the Daily Mirror: "I think Darren would see most Championship clubs as a sideways step in his career, but I don't think that would be the case with Albion.

"They are a Premier League club in my opinion but we don't want to lose him and we would not welcome any approach.

"Jeremy Peace played hardball with Celtic over Tony and we would play hardball with them over Darren."