Whelpdale made 29 league for Peterborough starts last season

Peterborough United boss Darren Ferguson has said midfielder Chris Whelpdale is fit and ready to come back into his first team plans.

The 20-year-old is yet to kick a ball this season after having a hernia operation back in July and could come into the side at QPR on Saturday.

Ferguson told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "Chris is ready and will definitely come into my thinking.

"He gives us strength and awareness and is in contention to start."

Shaun Batt has played the last four matches on the right wing with Tommy Rowe occupying the position early in the season.

Whelpdale was a key player for Posh last season, scoring seven goals in 39 league appearances.

Meanwhile, Ferguson says Toumani Diagouraga and Lee Frecklington are not certain starters against QPR, despite their good recent form.

"I've still got a decision to make in central midfield and it's always going to be a hard decision," he said.

"Coutts did well with Scotland, Keates is getting fitter and Diagouraga and Frecklington have been excellent in the past two games."

Posh go into the QPR match still searching for their first league win of the season, but having put in a decent performances against Crystal Palace on Bank Holiday Monday.

QPR grabbed their first win of the campaign at Scunthorpe last time out, and Ferguson knows they have plenty of quality playing talent.

"They've used the loan market well with Jay Simpson from Arsenal, Adel Taarabt from Tottenham and Ben Watson from Wigan," he said.

"Taarabt has a lot of ability and doesn't really play up front, he just plays wherever he wants."

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