BRAD Ihionvien has revealed he spoke to former Colchester United team-mate John Akinde prior to signing for Peterborough United.

The 20-year-old striker left the U's to join Posh on transfer deadline day last Friday for an undisclosed fee, following the likes of Kwame Poku and Frankie Kent from Colchester to London Road, over recent years.

Ihionvien was on the coach with the Colchester squad heading to their game against Accrington Stanley when he disembarked and travelled to Peterborough to complete his move.

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And the former U's academy striker says he made a number of calls before making the move, including to Akinde who was released by Colchester last summer and is now at National League side Braintree Town.

Ihionvien told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "There were a lot of things.

"It's a step up from League Two to League One, which is obviously very good.

"I made a few calls on the coach that day to my agent, to one of my close friends - I call him my dad, John Akinde and some coaches.

"A lot of people and the one thing they said was Peterborough are good to you, they buy young strikers, develop them and sell them for millions and I thought it sounds like a dream."

(Image: Richard Blaxall)

Ihionvien marked his first Peterborough appearance with a goal on Tuesday night, coming off the bench to score their winner in a 2-1 victory at Gillingham in the EFL Trophy.

It has been a whirlwind few days for the young striker, following his switch from the U's.

Ihionvien said: "Last week, I started the week thinking 'let's go, double game week', man of the match on Wednesday (against Brentford), get to Friday and I'm thinking how am I going to make an impact off the bench on Saturday against Accrington.

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"Then the next thing I know, I'm in a taxi and I'm in Peterborough!

"It's been crazy but I can't say I've not liked it.

"I had no clue of the interest before Friday, to be honest.

"I did well in the pre-season game but I didn't think anything was going to come from that, especially how the start of the season went where I just wasn't getting played.

"I thought 'no way am I moving' and then I was!"