QPR Offseason Transfer News & Rumors ('08-'09!)

[QPR Kevin H]

I'll get the party started with news that the R's are apparently close to getting Radek Cerny (Spurs keeper who we nearly nabbed in the January window)...

Sporting Life (http://www.sportinglife.com/football/nationwide1/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/08/05/05/manual_141635.html)

Czech Republic goalkeeper Radek Cerny has confirmed he is set to leave Tottenham this summer to join ambitious Championship outfit QPR.

Rangers are set to mount a bid to reach the Premier League next season and Cerny has admitted that he will be a part of the Loftus Road revolution.

The Czech international has had two spells in the Tottenham first team under Juande Ramos this season with Paul Robinson currently sidelined with an ankle injury. However, the Spurs boss is set bring in two new keepers next term with Espanyol's Carlos Kameni reportedly his number one target.

As a result Cerny has long been resigned to moving on. He told Czech television station Nova: "As far as I know, they have prepared a two-year deal for me there, I want to help Queens Park Rangers gain promotion to the Premier League."

Rangers have been on the lookout for a new goalkeeper after Donovan Ricketts had a work permit request turned down just prior to joining the club from Bradford.

[art]

I'll get the party started with news that the R's are apparently close to getting Radek Cerny (Spurs keeper who we nearly nabbed in the January window)...


Game over for Pickens and/or Cole then? Both from the whisperings.

[firefan96]

Game over for Pickens and/or Cole then? Both from the whisperings.

I say game over initially for Camp and Cole. Pickens to be asked to remain as backup, but refuses as he could be a #1 elsewhere. Thus allowing Camp to remain on as #2 to Cerny. However, Camp may refuse as well as he wants to remain #1. To this I say Cole could then slide up to #2. Who knows!

[Atouk]

The club has announced (http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~1306538,00.html) that "Sean Thomas, Aaron Goode, Andrew Howell, Stefan Bailey and Matt Pickens will be free to leave the Club when their current contracts expire at the end of June."

Thanks and good luck to Bailey, in particular, who made 18 starts and 4 sub appearances in all competitions for the R's over four seasons. He was 17 when he made his QPR debut in 04/05 and is still just 20 years old now. He should catch on somewhere a level or two below the Championship.

Howell made just one League Cup appearance for QPR (in 06/07). Goode, Thomas, and Pickens never played in a first-team match for Rangers.

------

As for keepers, Cole is signed through 08/09 (http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~1092976,00.html). He's cheap, young, and may be still happy to be a #3 at this level. However, he will turn 23 in September... even if they think he has potential, it may be time to loan him out and see how ready he is for action. After getting a taste of action in 05/06 and 06/07 (a combined 6 starts and 2 sub appearances in all competitions over two season) he didn't see the field with the first team in 07/08.

Camp is under contract for two more seasons, through summer 2010. (http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~1071616,00.html)

Camp has proven to be a pretty good #1 at this level. Is Cerny certain to beat him out? After seeing action in only cup games in 06/07, he had a 10-game run as #1 in January-February and has now started five in a row for them in April-May due to Robinson's injury.

I caught a bit of their game against Reading this weekend, but wasn't watching it with Cerny in mind. Anyone here see enough of Spurs to have an opinion on him?

[Atouk]

A new article on the BBC website (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/q/qpr/7385378.stm) details how De Canio and Paladini work together in signing players.

The article also indicates:

Rangers expect to seal the signings of Tottenham goalkeeper Radek Cerny on a Bosman free transfer and defender Peter Ramage, who has been released by Newcastle.

They are also desperate to re-sign former Hoops winger Lee Cook following his injury-plagued year at neighbours Fulham.

Numerous other possible targets have been discussed, with a striker high on their list of priorities.

[QPR Kevin H]

Cookie... yes please!!

Not surprised the R's are linked with a released Newcastle player, but I thought it might be Steven Carr. Although he might not want to drop a division. I think every released Premier League player will be rumored to join the R's this summer ;)

[QPR Kevin H]

Look like the Rs are close to signing released Newcastle defender Peter Ramage...

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/2008/05/12/emotional-ramage-gets-to-say-goodbye-72703-20895975/

Emotional Ramage gets to say goodbye

May 12 2008 by Alan Oliver, Evening Chronicle

PETER RAMAGE was on the verge of joining Queens Park Rangers today – after making a tearful exit from Newcastle United.

Kevin Keegan showed some terrific man-management when he sent the Geordie boy on for the last couple of minutes in yesterday’s defeat by Everton at Goodison Park, even though Ramage had turned down the chance to stay at St James’s Park.

And it was a clearly emotional Ramage who left Goodison on his way to London – where he was having a medical at Loftus Road today – after throwing his last United shirt in among the travelling Toon Army.

[art]

http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~1311436,00.html

ramage & cerny confirmations

[Atouk]

These have been talked about under Paladini/DeCanio. You'd like to think that the next manager has approved of the signings before we went ahead with them.

Rumors on qprdot.org say that Dowie will be announced on Thursday. Of course, other rumors say it'll be Walter Novellino. Who knows?

Cerny, 34, is older than I realized, while Ramage, just 24, is younger than I thought.

I'm guessing Cerny didn't drop a division to sit on the bench. Is that really it for Camp?

[QPR Kevin H]

I'm guessing Cerny didn't drop a division to sit on the bench. Is that really it for Camp?
Wouldn't be surprised to see Lee looking for a transfer to another Championship club to insure a starting spot. Don't think a lot of Rs fans would be too happy with that. New manager and a new keeper to start a season doesn't exactly give the impression of continuing momentum.

[Atouk]

The Guardian in today's Fiver:

Having been linked with Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo and Pele, QPR have gone one better by signing Peter Ramage from Newcastle and Radek Cerny from Slavia Prague.

:D

[QPR Kevin H]

The Guardian in today's Fiver:
Wait till they comment on Dowie tomorrow...




It's not going to be pretty (baddum pish!) :D

[Atouk]

http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~1312220,00.html

The R's have signed 19-year-old midfielder Matteo Alberti from Chievo Verona. He has signed a four-year deal. That club appears headed to promotion to Serie A. Alberti has yet to make a first-team appearance for them, although our official site insists that he's highly rated and we had to compete with several Serie A teams for his signature. As part of the deal, we'll host Chievo Verona in a pre-season friendly.

[doolittledog2]

Why do I get the feeling that our new owners feel like the answer to anything is to bring in an Italian :confused: Never made an appearance for his Serie B team...suposedly has interest from Seria A teams...yet he signs with a 2nd div. team in England???

Ok, maybe I am stretching. Really only DiCanio was brought in and he now has gone home. To be replaced by an uninspiring choice from England.

[QPR Kevin H]

Interesting signing about to be made by one of our Championship promotion rivals ;)

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/08/06/03/SOCCER_Man_Utd_Lead.html

Manchester United have agreed a fee with Cardiff for the transfer of Aaron Ramsey.

The 17-year-old Wales international will now discuss personal terms and undergo a medical with the Premier League and European champions.

[QPR Kevin H]

Some of the latest rumors flying around about players that the Rs might be looking into...

http://www.spurs.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=506921

Anthony Gardner is on the wish list of both Stoke and QPR according to reports.

27 year old Gardner is seemingly well out of Tottenham coach Juande Ramos's plans much to the relief of many Spurs fans and a move seems inevitable this summer.

A move to either of these clubs will be a tempting prospect for Gardner, a move to newly promoted Stoke would have the instant appeal of him retaining his premiership status and show he still has the ability to play against the best. Born in Stafford, the move also brings him back to this roots.

Queens Park Rangers new found riches, will mean they will be looking to push for at least a play off place this coming season, which could prove a temptation to Gardner as he may feel a short term gamble of playing championship football may well be worthwhile if it gets him into a progressive club early in their development.

http://www.clubcall.com/index.jsp?storyID=339622

QPR boss Iain Dowie is set to test Crystal Palace's determination to keep hold of midfielder Ben Watson.

Watson still has 12 months to go on his present deal at Selhurst Park but big spending Rangers are apparently ready to make a move for the England under-21-star.

http://www.clubfanzine.com/ipswich_town/showNews.php?id=11181

Leicester Want £1.75m for McAuley?

(Ipswich) Town will have to pay Leicester City £1.75 million if they want to sign defender Gareth McAuley, according to tabloid reports this morning. Over the weekend it was claimed that the Blues had had a new bid of £1 million turned down by the Foxes.

Jim Magilton has been chasing the Northern Ireland international since January when he previously had three offers rebuffed.

McAuley is widely tipped to leave the Walkers Stadium this summer after Leicester’s relegation to League One, with Magilton viewing the 28-year-old as a replacement for the retiring Jason De Vos. QPR, managed by Magilton’s best friend Iain Dowie, are also understood to be after the Larne-born defender.

[Atouk]

The latest from the Kilburn Times: (http://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/content/camden/kilburntimes/QPR/story.aspx?brand=KLBTOnline&category=QPRNews&tBrand=KLBTOnline&tCategory=defaultQPR&itemid=WeED04%20Jun%202008%2011%3A52%3A36%3A687)

QPR will next week table another bid for midfielder Ben Watson, who is expected to reject Crystal Palace's latest offer of a new contract.

Rangers failed to land the former England Under-21 international after offering Palace a deal worth £1.2m, potentially rising to £1.5m subject to certain clauses.

The Eagles are keen to keep Watson but he is entering the last year of his contract and has indicated that he will not sign a new deal.

That leaves Palace facing the prospect of selling Watson, 22, this summer rather than allowing him to see out the remainder of his contract.

Rangers hope this will leave them in pole position to get their man and plan to tempt Palace with an improved offer after the weekend.

The article also says "It looks increasingly likely that Blackpool's Latvian international centre-back Kaspars Gorkss will sign for the R's, although an agreement has yet to be reached," and while it indicates our targeting of Marlon Harewood appears to be "unproductive," we "do have a realistic chance" of signing Bobby Zamora.

The article also reports that some believe that the departure of Fulham managing director David McNally could clear the way for the R's to acquire Lee Cook.

[QPR Kevin H]

Nice - let's get Cookie back!

[art]

damn im still not used to this money thing with qpr. remember when Ian Evatt was a big signing?

[Atouk]

"It looks increasingly likely that Blackpool's Latvian international centre-back Kaspars Gorkss will sign for the R's, although an agreement has yet to be reached," The official site has confirmed (http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~1327232,00.html) that we've put in a bid for Gorkss.