Premier League club hijack QPR 'approach' for player who just became free agent
QPR now look as thought hey have missed out on a free target this summer.
QPR have been chasing a Premier League free agent of late, but there looks to be bad news in the race. The Hoops are expected to be busy in the transfer window again this summer after an extremely busy summer window of last.
A lot has changed since then, with Julien Stephan taking over from Marti Cifuentes after what was a complicated situation. That situation ultimately led to Cifuentes being removed from his position and placed on gardening leave.
Stephan will now want to put his own stamp on his new squad, although he will have to work within a sensible budget, as most clubs have to at Championship level. One position Stephan is looking to strengthen is the goalkeeper department, with QPR currently having Paul Nardi, Joe Walsh and Matteo Salamon on their books.
It has been reported that QPR liked the look of now former Chelsea goalkeeper Luke Campbell, who left Chelsea at the end of his contract at the end of June. Campbell has been searching for a new club amid his departure from Chelsea, and The Mirror now say he has found a new club, but it won’t be QPR.
The report claims QPR’s approach came up short, with Premier League club and Europe-bound Nottingham Forest winning the race to agree a contract. Although, Campbell naturally faces a tough battle to get game time any time soon at Forest, likely being a signing for the future. The 19-year-old will likely join Forest’s development team after most recently competing in Premier League 2 with Chelsea, although he only made two appearances, featuring much more regularly with the under-18s.
Stephan’s big hopes
Stephan will be expecting to guide QPR to at least a top half finish, although such a feat has proven difficult in recent times in an ever-competitive Championship season.
“I feel very proud and excited to join QPR,” he said upon arrival. “QPR is a historic club with strong values and passionate fans, so I feel honoured. I wanted to come here because I know there's a lot of passion around the club and around the team, and I feel very lucky to discover that. There is something unique about English football. The intensity, the atmosphere, the passion of the fans also, the tempo of the game, the culture around the club all make it a very stimulating environment for a coach.”
He added: “I’ve been fortunate to meet and work with very talented players and young players, like Ousmane Demebele, Eduardo Camavinga, Habib Diarra at Strasbourg, Jeremy Doku and Desire Doue also. I think the most important is to trust in them, guide them and help them grow step by step. Each player is different. The most important is to understand their personality, their strength and what motivates them. I try to build a strong relationship with them and create the condition to put them in the right environment to develop.”
Your next QPR read, Charlton Athletic and QPR to lose Premier League transfer race