'Kid Is Special': QPR first summer signing scores impressive 7-minute brace

QPR may now start to allow thoughts to turn towards the next Championship campaign with a three game unbeaten run, including a big three points away at Oxford United, a huge boost in hopes of staying away from a relegation dogfight.

Marti Cifuentes won’t be getting carried away but supporters will no doubt be looking ahead and hoping for a season of greater consistency next time out. The future looks bright for the west London club too, with one imminent summer signing turning heads Down Under.

In January, it was reported that QPR had agreed a pre-contract deal with Perth Glory teenager Jaylan Pearman. The 18-year-old is set to follow in the footsteps of Daniel Bennie in making the move to Loftus Road when Perth’s campaign is over.

QPR to sign Perth Glory teenager this summer

Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph previously wrote on X: “QPR have agreed a pre-contract with Perth Glory attacking midfielder Jaylan Pearman. The 18-year-old has made five appearances in the A League, with one goal and one assist so far this season. He has featured for Australia U17 and is now being called up at U20 level.”

The attacking midfielder will make the move to the UK tipped to go on and achieve great things. Pearman proved his rising star status in Perth Glory’s last home game of the season against Adelaide United on Saturday.

In that fixture, the player picked up an assist and then went on to score a brace himself, with just seven minutes between the goals. The official Isuzu A-League account wrote: “7 minutes. Two stunning goals. Still only 18 THIS KID IS SPECIAL! Jaylan Pearman adds a quickfire brace to go with his earlier assist - what a talent.”

Speaking about his move to QPR this summer, Pearman told The West Australian: “Considering I joined the club and I was 10, now I’m turning 19 soon, it’ll definitely be an emotional one, and hopefully, we can finish it off with three points.

“Any young player just needs experience. You’re going to take different things from different players, you’re going to learn new things; in the end, it’s about the pathway that you get and how your career pans out. But I want to play as many minutes as possible and just keep playing my football.”

Pearman taking game ‘to another level’

Praising the player, Perth Glory head coach David Zdrilic has shared his love for Pearman, who has been nicknamed the ‘Prince of Perth’. Zdrilic said: “He is a great kid. He has come a long way this season. He was playing NPL at the start of the season and he was sometimes being pushed off the ball. His quality is always there but the strength.

“He has come into the team and straight away looked at home. But now every game, he is taking it to another level. Don’t forget I’m putting him as a number 10 or a striker next to Taggs (Adam Taggart). He is playing different rules and he actually scored the two goals from the left. He is just very versatile. A great kid and just happy for him.”

In other news, QPR were last week handed a huge relegation boost in blow to Oxford United and Preston North End.