'About to sign' - Watford set for transfer while £6m West Brom man 'open' to new club

A sold-out Loftus Road assembled on Saturday to get an early look at the QPR side for the upcoming season as the club faced Tottenham Hotspur in a friendly.

The Premier League club claimed a 2-0 victory but R's head coach Marti Cifuentes was pleased by a number of aspects of the performance.

QPR feature alongside Watford and West Brom in your Monday Championship round-up.

Turkish side ‘about to sign’ Watford man

Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor are expected to confirm the signing of Watford defender Wesley Hoedt this week as negotiations between the two sides gather pace.

Turkish sports reporter Safa Can Konuksever's latest update claims the club are 'about to sign' the defender from the Hornets. A fee of around €2 million, around £1.7 million has been touted for the 30-year-old.

Hoedt joined Watford from Anderlecht in January 2023 on a two-and-a-half-year deal, meaning he could leave as a free agent next summer. The player made 48 appearances in all competitions last season, regularly captaining the side.

The defender was absent from the Watford squad as the team lost to Gillingham on Saturday, fuelling rumours of an exit. However, Hornets boss Tom Cleverley claimed Hoedt didn't feature due to a knock. He said: "Wes picked up a knock this week so he’ll rejoin.

"We didn’t want to risk him today. I understand there has been speculation. My job is to improve the players I have in the building and you always want to keep your best players. We’ll see how that one progresses. It’s normal as a Championship side that your best players attract attention and Wes is no different."

Cifuentes praises QPR youngsters

QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes heaped praise on academy stars following his side's pre-season run out against Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend.

The R's lost 2-0 to their Premier League opposition but could take positives from the showing at Loftus Road. New signings Liam Morrison and Hevertton Santos featured, as well as goalkeeper Paul Nardi.

Speaking after the game, Cifuentes said: “We have a lot of talented players as well as Liam and Hevertton. I was impressed with the academy players who played today at a very high level.

“I think Rayan Kolli was excellent in the first half and Alfie Lloyd was very good when he came on. Alfie Tuck as well. [Lorent] Talla almost made a fantastic assist. I am very satisfied with all of them. It is just about making sure that they keep learning and that they keep competing because the opportunity is there for them to take.”

West Brom man ‘open’ to League One switch

Former QPR winger Matt Phillips could be set to drop down to League One having left West Brom as a free agent this summer.

The Baggies, who the R's face on the opening day of the Championship season, released the 33-year-old after eight years of service following the 2023/24 campaign. The Midlands club had paid £6 million to bring the player to the Hawthorns from Loftus Road in 2016.

It's the first time in his career that Phillips has been a free agent and the Bucks Free Press suggests he is 'open' to a move to League One side Wycombe Wanderers, where he began his career.