QPR free agent already Premier League and Celtic transfer target

Toby Bryant
By Toby Bryant

Senior Sports Journalist

Published 19th May 2024, 15:08 BST
Asmir Begovic's current QPR deal is coming to its end.Asmir Begovic's current QPR deal is coming to its end.
Asmir Begovic's current QPR deal is coming to its end. | Getty Images
The goalkeeper arrived at QPR on a one-year contract last summer at the end of his Everton deal and has added experience to the squad.

QPR goalkeeper Asmir Begovic has been linked with a surprise return to Premier League football after completing his one-year deal with the London club in the Championship this season.

The veteran shot-stopper, who is 36 years old, arrived at Loftus Road last year on a season-long deal and has been a key member of the R's side this term. The Bosnian racked up 45 Championship appearances between the sticks for QPR this season as he replaced Seny Dieng following the latter's move to Middlesbrough.

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Begovic, who has played for Stoke City, Chelsea and Everton in the past will leave QPR as a free agent this summer if a new deal is not agreed. Marti Cifuentes' goalkeeping plans for next season remain to be confirmed - Jordan Archer has been released from Loftus Road and rising star Joe Walsh was handed a first league start on the final day of the season.

Now, journalist Alan Nixon reports that Begovic could become a target for his former club AFC Bournemouth this summer, according to his Patreon. Begovic is seen as an experienced star who could bolster the club's ranks - Celtic have also been credited with transfer interest.

Begovic has come under fire from QPR supporters at times over the past 12 months, especially as the side struggled to defend set plays. However, Cifuentes remained defensive of the player.

Earlier this year, when asked about the criticism, he said: “I think that Asmir has been showing, as all the goalkeepers, it’s very easy to criticise the goalkeeper when they make one mistake, but instead we sometimes tend to forget, especially football fans, that Asmir was fantastic at Swansea for instance.

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It was a somewhat hit-and-miss season for Asmir Begovic at QPR.It was a somewhat hit-and-miss season for Asmir Begovic at QPR.
It was a somewhat hit-and-miss season for Asmir Begovic at QPR. | Getty Images

“We won 1-0, but he made two crucial saves in two crucial key moments. “We won here at Hull a few months ago in a fantastic performance, again he saved the game for us.

“Those three points without him would have been impossible, absolutely. And today once again I said clearly that the big players show up on the big occasion, and I think that today he once again showed that his career is just good luck or whatever.

“He has been a top keeper playing at a top level for many years and today he showed once again that he is a very good keeper.”

Related topics:QPRPremier League

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