QPR closing in on experienced goalkeeper
Asmir Begovic looks set to link up with the Championship side on a short-term basis.
Queens Park Rangers are edging closer to signing Asmir Begovic on a one-year deal after Luton Town fell out of the race, according to last night’s update from Fabrizio Romano.
He was released by Everton following a two-year spell – and that gave the experienced Bosnian the opportunity to weigh up his options ahead of his next move.
With Jordan Pickford remaining the Toffees’ number one, his game time was limited like it was at Chelsea – but it’s not as if the ex-Portsmouth man has always been on the bench.
Performing well as a starter at both Stoke City and AFC Bournemouth earlier in his career, he may be desperate to be a starter again and may have a chance of doing that by dropping down to the Championship.
A move to Luton Town looked to be on the cards – but Romano has now ruled this out with the experienced stopper not heading to Kenilworth Road this summer.
How much would QPR have to pay for Asmir Begovic?
The 36-year-old is currently a free agent and because of his age, the Toffees aren’t entitled to any compensation for him.
With this in mind, QPR wouldn’t have to pay a single penny to lure him to Loftus Road, although the shot-stopper may want a signing-on fee as well as a respectable wage.
What is the state of play in QPR’s goalkeeping department?
Seny Dieng has secured a move to Middlesbrough and this means QPR will need a new number-one shot-stopper if they don’t want to promote Jordan Archer or Joe Walsh.
Archer has a decent amount of experience but he has been seen as a backup option at Loftus Road for some time – and Walsh probably doesn’t have enough experience under his belt to secure a starting spot.
What QPR need from their first-choice keeper is experience, reliability and composure. Not only do they need to be calm and collected, but they need to be able to stay fit too.
One player who certainly won’t be secure a starting spot between the sticks anytime soon is Murphy Mahoney, who has made a season-long loan move to Swindon Town.
Is Asmir Begovic’s move to QPR good for both parties?
For the goalkeeper, this seems like a respectable move, although he may have been hoping to be a starter in the top flight still.
At 36 though, he may only be a short-term solution for quite a few sides before they bring in younger stoppers, so you can understand why he may not have been the subject of major Premier League interest.
And it’s not as if a move to the second tier is a massive step down – because the division looks extremely competitive this year with the likes of Leeds United, Leicester City and Southampton all coming down.
For QPR, bringing in a long-term replacement for Dieng is a must when Begovic does depart, but the latter is certainly a solid option for the R’s to have between the sticks.
On a free transfer as well, this is a deal certainly worth completing and the 36-year-old would help to address an area that needs to be strengthened following Dieng’s departure.
