Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony says Ricardo Santos is “probably the best centre-half in League One”.

Santos began his career at London Road and went on to make 75 appearances during a three-year spell with the club.

MacAnthony thought the defender would be a “terrific” signing for Posh, but his time there ultimately didn’t go to plan.

He has gone from strength to strength since joining Wanderers in the summer of 2020 and bagged a brace at the weekend as Ian Evatt’s men ran out 5-0 winners.

Speaking on the Hard Truth Podcast, MacAnthony said: “Saturday was the most bizarre game of football I’ve ever watched. Don’t get me wrong, Bolton are a really good team. We know they are a really good team and I am sick of giving compliments to other teams.

“Top six and deservedly so, a big club. They had a bad couple of years and are rebuilding. They came up from League Two and have recruited well this year.

“They have some good loans from Premier League clubs. They’ve used the system well and signed some really good players, including one of our ex-players.

“Funnily enough, some of the fans were trolling me and abusing this kid when I dared to suggest Portugal were looking to call him up many years ago, Ricardo Santos. We paid five grand for him.

“I thought he was going to be a terrific player for our club. The fans came out and buried me at the time about him. He was young, concentration issues.

“Players like that, you have to stick with them and play them. Now he is probably the best centre half in League One, very effective.”

He added: “He was magnificent to be fair to the boy. He said some stupid things when he left us but I get it – you are young, you are bitter, you have been rejected and the fans have got on your back.

Northern Irish international Dion Charles at London Road as the Whites secured a memorable victory on the road.

“It was a good game,” said MacAnthony. “Forget the goals, if you look at the stats – more possession, more shots, more shots on goal.

“They have had seven shots on target and scored five goals. They could shoot from the halfway line and probably score, it was one of those days.

"A cross in the box would end up yards from Santos to stick it away twice.

“Defensively, a horror show. The game changed in nine minutes. An experienced goalscorer for us (Jonson Clarke-Harris), probably one of the best ever in League One, has missed pretty much an open goal from three yards, a header. 99 times out of 100 it would just hit his head and go on.

“30 seconds later they go down and win a penalty. Another experienced player gives away a silly penalty and it’s 2-0. By the 49th minute we’re 4-0 down.”