QPR imminent €500k transfer is high risk but high reward - opinion

QPR are on the verge of completing the signing of FC Schalke striker Pape Meissa Ba ahead of the start of the Championship season as Julien Stephan looks to add a new forward to his squad.

The R’s are currently reliant on Zan Celar and Michael Frey to lead their line and that’s a precarious situation to be in ahead of the upcoming campaign. Celar arrived from FC Lugano amid much hype last summer but spent a large chunk of last term injured, scoring just two goals in 22 appearances for the club.

Meanwhile, Frey was more prolific with eight league goals but also has his injury issues - missing out against Brentford last weekend - and is already 31 years old. With Alfie Lloyd and Rayan Kolli still up and coming prospects, the need for new blood up top has been evident.

QPR close to signing FC Schalke striker

That appears to be arriving in Ba. The 28-year-old only joined FC Schalke from Grenoble in January but is expected to make the move to Loftus Road. That deal has hit some work permit snags but transfer specialist Darren Witcoop believes the move is now imminent. Over the weekend, he wrote: “QPR are set to sign Senegal striker Pape Meissa Ba from German club Schalke with a deal close to completion.”

Ba scored 13 goals across all competitions last season, the majority of those coming for Grenoble in Ligue 2 prior to the move to Germany. He had plundered 10 goals in 18 appearances in the division before netting twice in 13 2. Bundesliga appearances.

There feels to be some cynicism among QPR supporters over whether Ba is the answer to the club’s goalscoring problem. The R’s have invested in unknown quantities from abroad rather than proven EFL strikers in recent windows and paid the price.

R’s set to spend €500,000 on Ba

However, in scouring over reports in French media from his time at Grenoble, there is reason to believe the €500,000 swoop is high risk but also high reward. MadeInFoot reported that Ba maintained ‘great form despite his team’s difficulties’ in Ligue 2.

That ability to keep scoring even when teammates struggle would be a huge boost for QPR. The R’s were often streaky under Marti Cifuentes and the ability to have a player somewhat immune to being dragged down would represent a coup. Ba never went more than four matches without scoring in Ligue 2 last term.

Meanwhile, Senegal football page Talents Galsen 221 wrote a profile on the player last season, pointing out that he was the top scorer in the Championnat National when at Red Star in 2022 and labelling the player as ‘impressive’ and a ‘great attacker’.

Grenoble sold the player to FC Schalke clearly believing that he would go on to greater things too, adding a 10% sell-on clause into any future transfer that is set to see them earn some pocket money from the touted QPR fee. Only time will tell what Ba can bring to QPR, but he may well be a steal at €500,000.

In other news, Ex QPR and Portsmouth star available on free transfer after quitting Premier League club.