...and Helguson, Shittu, Dyer (will he be worth the gamble?). It'll be interesting to see how that shakes down. I forgot that's the way of the Prem. Do we only get 25 if we have 8 home grown players (which we don't, do we?).
I'm not sure on the homegrown rule - but yeah, we have so few. Which is nice that Fernandes and his people are making the youth system such a priority (back to an academy soon, hopefully). Dyer will stay around. His injury isn't that bad and he's versatile if and when healthy.
http://www.qpr.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~2431326,00.html Shaun Derry signed a one-year extention, keeping him under contract until summer '13.
As for today's rumor mill... too much to keep up with! Let's just see what happens at 11pm UK - or even tomorrow morning. Latest mentions... Bellamy, Crouch, Bassong. Closer with Anton Ferdinand.
One for the future... the R's have signed Tommaso Trani, a 6'6 17-year-old GK who had been coming through the AC Milan system. http://www.qpr.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~2437441,00.html Also, the R's have terminated the contract of Antonio German. http://www.qpr.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~2437113,00.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/14739065.stm Looks like we'll be signing defender Sebastien Bassong from Spurs. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/14731141.stm ...and defender Anton Ferdinand from Sunderland.
Latest on Craig Bellamy from the BBC: 1903: It's all gone a little bit quiet on Craig Bellamy's move to Liverpool (or anywhere). News on that when I get any. QPR probably haven't given up on him either. The way Neil Warnock is going, he will be trying to sign you and me tonight too. ------- Reports from earlier said he'd flown from Wales to Liverpool for a medical and would likely sign with Liverpool.
I'm thinking that Bellamy is not a realistic option tonight and that the Rs are just helping City drive up the price (in exchange for a cut price on Wright Phillips). Bassong and Ferdinand seem like certainties. Kenwyne Jones is the latest rumor - and a good one, IHMO! Now that Crouch looks set for Stoke.
If so, that's just 3 (Taarabt, Faurlin, Kenny) of our Best XI from last season and will see us replace all four defenders on the best (by far) defense in the Championship. Wow. Of course, those were our three best players.
BBC chief football writer Phil McNulty on Twitter: "Man City fully expecting Craig Bellamy to complete move to Liverpool after medical & same with Shaun Wright-Phillips at QPR"
I'm starting to feel like we're a real Premiership side now. Finally some money to spend that should have been spent last summer. But I'll take it now over not having any transfer money getting spent.
Bassong transfer is off. Spurs has another deal to bring someone in fall through, so they decided not to let him go. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/14739065.stm "[Sebastian] Bassong is off," the Spurs manager told Sky Sports News. "I felt sorry for QPR boss Neil Warnock but when we couldn't get [Gary] Cahill we had to pull the plug."
http://www.qpr.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~2437880,00.html Shaun Wright-Phillips is a QPR player. 3-year deal.
I think we did well this transfer window. Some decent signings, particularly SWP. Can't force a smile on the Barton signing though. Still hate the ********, even if he wears the hoops.
Man City fan here, just wanted to wish you lot good luck for the rest of the season. Some great signings for QPR this week, you should do alright. SWP is a class act and hopefully he'll be a star for you, far to good to be sitting on the bench at City.
Jason Puncheon rounded out the transfer day craziness. Signing a loan deal somewhere around midnight. http://www.qpr.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~2438688,00.html
"Each club's 25-man squad should have eight homegrown players who - regardless of age or nationality - spent three years (or a total of 36 months) in the youth system of a club in England or Wales before they reached the age of 21." So we have plenty of "home grown" players because it includes any club in England or Wales, not just QPR. 18 of our 25 are listed as "home grown" players. Arsenal has 5 (of 22); Chelsea has 6 (of 23); Fulham has 12 (of 23). Also, "Clubs can use an unlimited number of Under-21 players in addition to their 25-man squad" so if we need to go outside our 25, it'll be with kids only. We have a full 25 in our squad, so we cannot sign any free agents at this point. Here are our 25: Kenny, Orr, Hill, Derry, Hall, Gabbidon, Taarabt, K Dyer, Campbell, Bothroyd, Faurlin, Mackie, Traore, Buzsaky, Perone, Connolly, Barton, L Young, Smith, Helguson, Cerny, B Murphy, Wright-Phillips, A Ferdinand, Puncheon. Left out: Shittu, Ephraim, Agyemang, Rowlands, Vaagen Moen, Hulse, Cook. Ephraim could be useful. Not sure who I'd omit in his place, though. Injury gambles on Mackie and Dyer are probably worth it.
Here are the lists. Most teams seem to have named less than 25. http://www.premierleague.com/page/Headlines/0,,12306~2440123,00.html
http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/lo...7/qpr-boss-makes-cook-promise-82029-29380469/ Warnock says they'll refund any loan fee if someone takes Lee Cook on loan and he gets injured during the loan. Pretty cool. Hope to see Cookie find a good situation.
BBC: QPR want David Beckham from LA Galaxy "I'm not sure it's for him, and I'm not sure it will suit him in the January transfer window. Who knows? "But I'm an ideas man, and he is an idea. He may not want it, he may want a bigger club. I hear [Tottenham manager] Harry Redknapp has said he wants him."
http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/lo...ps-up-search-for-new-signings-82029-29732786/ Warnock looks to add four in the January window. “We need another four good players in the squad,” he said. “I've got my eyes on the ones I want and I'm going to do some air miles in the next week to have a look at one or two.”
Tony Fernandes: "Our strongest area is midfield right now so I'm not even sure where Beckham would fit in. He appears happy where he is so that's a long-shot. But never say never." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/15596806.stm