“My only reservation…” – Carlton Palmer reacts to confirmed QPR transfer news
Asmir Begovic has completed his move to QPR, following his decision to reject a new deal at Everton earlier in the summer.
The new Championship season is edging closer to starting again and it is set to be an interesting one for Gareth Ainsworth and his QPR team, who endured a very difficult second half to the 2022/23 campaign.
Now, the Rs boss has been presented with his first real opportunity to put his imprint on the West London club, both from a tactical perspective and through the players he will be looking to sign over the next few weeks.
One player that has already arrived at Loftus Road for the upcoming campaign is vastly experienced shot-stopper Asmir Begovic, whose impressive CV boasts experience with the likes of Chelsea and AC Milan.
Adding a further layer of excitement to the deal is that it was widely-recognised that Premier League newcomers Luton Town were in for the Bosnian goalkeeper, however, it is QPR that have proceeded to secure his signature.
Bolstering their goalkeeping department emerged as a strong possibility at the start of the summer window but the departure of Seny Dieng to Middlesbrough made it imperative that a new goalkeeper, or two, was needed in West London.
What has pundit Carlton Palmer said about Asmir Begovic following his move to QPR?
Speaking to Football League World following the news that Begovic has completed a move to QPR, Carlton Palmer said: “I think looking from the outside this will be another tough season for QPR given everything that is happening off the field.
“Their influential goalkeeper Seny Dieng has now departed for Middlesbrough, we all anticipated that was going to happen with just a year left on his contract. He played a huge part in their survival last season and it was imperative that they replaced him well.
“I believe they have done that with the signing of Asmir Begovic. He’s hugely experienced, 63 caps for his country.
“My only reservation is his lack of game time, at the age of 36, over the last three years, he has played very little first-team football.”
What has Asmir Begovic said about his QPR arrival?
The former Everton goalkeeper, who turned down a new contract at Goodison Park in favour of moving back down south, spoke to the club’s media about signing for the Rs and revealed his excitement to fully get going, and said: “This feels great.
“It’s something that’s been worked on the past few weeks and I am really excited to be here and can’t wait to get started.
“It’s really nice to see (on the positive reaction to his signing).
“In this day and age with social media it’s difficult to keep these secrets, but out of all the conversations I had with different clubs, I really felt this was the right move for myself and my family.
“To see the positive reaction from the fans was really exciting but now the hard work starts. We have to make sure we hit the ground running on the training ground and in friendlies to have a really good start to the season.”
Begovic’s competitive debut for the W12 outfit is likely to come on the Championship’s opening weekend when Ainsworth’s side travel to Vicarage Road to take on Watford.
