Julien Stephan teases big QPR injury boost ahead of Middlesbrough and Birmingham City
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Kwame Poku has suffered an injury-ridden first season at QPR since making the move from Peterborough United.
QPR head coach Julien Stephan has teased that marquee summer signing Kwame Poku could return in the near future for the side after a second lengthy injury lay-off.
The R’s beat plenty of Championship competition to sign the winger from Peterborough United last summer but it’s been a stop-start first campaign in the Championship for the player. Poku had registered 12 goals and eight assists in League One last term.
However, the forward is yet to score or assist since making the move to Loftus Road and has played just eight times in the Championship. Poku started the opening fixture of the campaign against Preston North End but suffered a hamstring injury, which kept him out for nearly three months.
The player then returned but picked up a fresh hamstring problem in January and has now not played since the 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday. With QPR having suffered three defeats in their last four, Stephan’s side is in need of fresh attacking impetus.
Julien Stephan provides Kwame Poku update ahead of Middlesbrough
Speaking about Poku at the weekend, the R’s head coach told West London Sport: “I hope he will come back quickly. There is a difference between coming back and being competitive. There is a big difference.
“When you come back like this you need to be clever about how you restart. It was a long injury. In fact, he had two long injuries this season, so he didn’t play a lot. Of course it is good news. But we don’t consider that only one player can change everything. It’s an option. One more player. But I repeat, there’s a difference between coming back and being competitive.”
QPR were also without the services of midfield linchpin Nicolas Madsen in the 2-0 defeat to Sheffield United at Loftus Road at the weekend with Ilias Chair another absentee. Stephan was unable to provide a timeframe on Madsen’s injury last week, other than that he would miss out against the Blades.
There is hope that Poku could be in for minutes when Middlesbrough visit west London on Sunday afternoon. QPR then travel to Birmingham City in midweek action next Wednesday with the R’s risking their season drifting into mid-table obscurity.
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