New QPR manager Mark Hughes will waste no time in improving his squad, having already discussed potential signings with Chief Executive Phil Beard and Chairman Tony Fernandes.
Fernandes has already confirmed that Hughes will have money to spend and that the club hope to bring at least one player in this week. Fernandes said:
“We’ve told Mark to come back to us with what he needs. We have some ideas but he’s the man in the hot-seat, it’s his call.
We hope we can do something before the Newcastle game.”
Hughes himself has had his first press conference today and denied there is a £30million transfer kitty, although he did admit there is money and the club “are interested in signing top quality players” including Chelsea outcast Alex.
Alex will be available for around £4million having been banished from first-team duties by blues boss Andre Villas-Boas. It is thought Alex is part of a long target list, rumoured to include Nedum Onuoha, Wayne Bridge, Chris Samba, Andy Johnson and Brazilian starlet Henrique among others.
Hughes will hope his old club Man City are willing to pay some of Wayne Bridge’s £90,000 wages, while Onuoha could be available for around £5million. Samba, on the other hand, would prefer to move to a top six club but Hughes, who brought Samba to England, hopes he can persuade his former protege to join him at QPR.
It seems QPR are using the tried and tested approach – solid, experienced defenders and more fire-power in attack. They might be better served bolstering their midfield, which has lacked creativity at times this season and will be even weaker now that Alejandro Faurlin has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
There is no doubt though, that with Hughes stressing his commitment to QPR in the long-term and an ambitious board room firmly behind him, there are exciting times ahead for Rangers’ fans.
