With the permanent transfer deadline closing at 5pm yesterday evening, Queens Park Rangers managed to hold onto our prize possessions – namely rejecting numerous late offers for midfielder Luke Freeman with Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough circling late on.
The more cautious and pessimistic amongst the fan base will note that although the permanent transfer window has closed, the loan market remains open until the end of the month and to my understanding nothing precludes a loan deal which becomes a permanent transfer in January from being arranged.
However, the immediate threat is over as a loan to buy in the future is less attractive in many ways for us anyway.
Speaking to the Official Site after the deadline slammed shut early on Thursday evening, Chief Executive Lee Hoos was pleased with the seeming progress that QPR have made in recent times.
He explained that in former windows we had had to pay players to leave the club, but we were now in a position to refuse transfer offers that showed a significant mark up on their original transfer signing fees and he believed that was ‘real progress’.
In a sense he’s correct, but that won’t calm fans.
Fans will be better pleased to see a number of talented youngsters contract up but the disappointment at not seeing further additions following the arrival of Toni Leistner is palpable. Hoos gets that, explaining that we now have to use the loan market to our benefit.
“The early closure of the transfer window this summer significantly changes the landscape and this can be used to our benefit. We are looking to bring loan players in. We can do this until the end of August. Clubs who were looking to sell their players on permanent deals will now be looking to loan them out, whereas prior to the window closing this was not an option they were considering. We will be looking to add to the squad. We are aware of the areas that need strengthening and we are looking to do that while in keeping with the club’s financial parameters.”
Player or players??
— The Gloucester Ranger (@Glos_Ranger) August 9, 2018
100% agree with this approach
— Jeff McCullagh (@jeffqpr1882) August 9, 2018
Just announce a new contract for Freeman
— Archie (@Amtj2003) August 9, 2018
How are we stronger? Same strikers worse keeper
— Gibbo????????????????????????????✌️ (@gibboQPR) August 9, 2018
Players that we couldn't afford on permanents but were available may now be available to come on loan.
— Matty D (@Matty_8419) August 9, 2018
‘Big offers’ it’s 4 million ffs. Hoos is just trying to con all of our fans in thinking we’re in a better position than we are. At the end of the day we have a worse squad than last year which was bad enough.
— Harry ???????????????????????????? (@H4RRYQPR) August 9, 2018
What makes perfect sense, not reinvesting the money in the slightest from selling one of or best players (for a low price). Having a worse squad than last year?
— Harry ???????????????????????????? (@H4RRYQPR) August 9, 2018
A couple of season ago freeman wouldn’t of even been a sub now he is our best player,that’s how low we have fallen,relying on the loan market just goes to prove to you that the club is a shambles and running scared of ffp..
— evan edward knight (@balkham1) August 9, 2018
A number of comments on social media were far tastier, but I can’t print those.