The role John Marquis’ move to Portsmouth had in Peterborough landing goal League One goal machine Ivan Toney

And it was Marquis’ determination to move to Pompey that led them away from the former Doncaster Rovers front man and towards bringing in Toney’s outstanding goal threat.

Evans had brought in Matt Godden and Jason Cummings in the summer of 2018 and had a place for only one striker.

Kayden Jackson, Toney and Marquis were in the frame but while the latter moved to Fratton Park in a big-money deal at the end of the season the Newcastle striker switched to London Road for a bargain £400,000.

Peterborough now look certain to make a massive profit on Toney after turning down a £4m bid from New York Red Bull for his services.

Evans’ tale also seems to suggest Marquis’ move to Pompey had long been in the pipeline before it became official last summer.

He told the Peterborough Telegraph: ‘I wanted Ivan, but John Marquis was also on our radar and we narrowed it down to him and Ivan, but John was adamant he wanted to go to Portsmouth at the end of that season.

‘But before anything happened with Ivan, Kayden Jackson became available and me and the chairman fancied him as well. We thought we’d done a deal with Accrington for him until Ipswich stepped in and took him so all our attention switched to Ivan and luckily we got him out of Newcastle.

‘I’d seen him play for Scunthorpe at the end of the previous season and he was virtually a one-man team. I was confident he would become a star and I can honestly see him leading the line at a Premier League club or at the biggest Championship club, Leeds United right now.'