Now that the transfer window has reached its conclusion and each EFL club’s squads for the upcoming few months are, for the most part, finalised, it is time to look at the signings made by Queens Park Rangers as they looked to improve on the squad that finished just 15th in the Championship last season.
Expectation was high, as many of the higher paid players left the club over the summer and Rangers’ PSR restrictions had loosened slightly. The question is simple: How successful was the club’s transfer business this summer?
It is important to note that while Karamoko ‘Kader’ Dembele is technically a new signing after the criteria for his obligation to buy was met last season, Rs fans knew of his permanent status from as early as last season’s fans’ forum and is therefore absent from this list.
Jaylen Pearman has also been excluded from this list, having signed a pre-contract last season.
Amadou Mbengue
The 23-year-old Senegalese defender joined QPR on a free transfer from Reading early in the window, having spent three seasons with the Royals. The centre-back, who is just as capable on the right side of the defence, made over 100 appearances in England prior to his arrival at Loftus Road. Perhaps best known for his raw speed and wild antics, Mbengue is an excellent signing.
The Rangers’ defence was in desperate need of some pace, and Mbengue will allow the club to be more flexible in its set up, allowing the team to play a higher defensive line. Mbengue was a star in the third division last season, ranking among the top 5% for both tackles won and accurate long passes.
Another key factor in the defender’s game is his willingness to drive with the ball from deep, delivering a great 0.4 successful dribbles per-90 last campaign. The Senegalese has previous Championship experience too, meaning that the step up to the second tier shouldn’t be a problem. QPR’s defence has been leaky already this season, but the player has stood out during his short tenure thus far.
Rating: 7/10
Keeley Adamson
Not much was known of the Australian right-back prior to his QPR announcement, and the 22-year-old has had very little game time since joining the club from MacArthur FC this summer. QPR are rumoured to have paid a fee in the region of just £250,000 to secure his services, highlighting the potential benefits of shopping in undervalued leagues.
According to football analyst Greg Spires, Adamson is highly adept at pressing and a capable long passer of the ball. It must be noted, however, that Julien Stephan opted to select young midfielder Keiran Morgan to start at right-back over Adamson in Jimmy Dunne’s absence in the first two league fixtures, suggesting that the player is not yet ready for the level of the Championship.
Rating: 4/10
Kwame Poku
The English-born Ghana international joined Rangers from Peterborough after compensation was agreed between the two sides, supposedly under £1 million. QPR were able to acquire his signature despite competition from many other clubs, including Birmingham and Scottish giants Rangers. Poku himself has been a standout in League One for some time, and contributed twenty goal involvements in just twenty-seven league outings for the Posh in the 2024/25 season.
His stats from the last campaign are simply cause for balking. The 24-year-old ranked comfortably in the top 10% for his goals, shots on target, assists, xAssists, successful dribbles, and touches in the opposition box.
This is an incredible signing for the Superhoops, who will be hoping that his injuries do not derail a promising career. The player missed over twenty fixtures last season and was forced off after only sixty-seven minutes in the Rs’ opening fixture, not playing since. Either way, this is an outstanding piece of business.
Rating 9/10
Tylon Smith
The 20-year-old centre back joined the club from South African side Stellenbosch FC, after a fantastic U20 AFCON, winning the competition as well as the player of the tournament award.
The player currently finds himself part of the Development Squad but made his senior debut in QPR’s 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat away against Plymouth Argyle. This is certainly a signing for the future and will have cost relatively little. Smith is technically sound and will be hoping to break into the first team by the start of next season
Rating: 5.5/10
Rumarn Burrell
Perhaps a rogue signing, Burrell joined the club after a sharp rise to prominence. After two impressive seasons in the third tier of Scottish football, Burrell joined League One outfit Burton Albion in June 2024. His first, and only, season for the club was a tale of two halves.
The player exploded into life after his 24th birthday, winning the player of the month award in January and finishing the campaign with eleven league goals in thirty appearances. His standout finish to the 2024/45 campaign earned Burrell a call-up for the Jamaica national team, for whom he is already off the mark.
Seeing his ability to score in spite of the steep jump in leagues, QPR snapped up the player for just over £1 million. The player already has an assist to his name, and his blistering pace has been a breath of fresh air for Rangers fans as the club have added a different type of threat to the top of their attack. This is certainly a calculated risk, but Burrell could be one of the most underrated signings in the division.
Rating: 6.5/10
Richard Kone
This is the man. Just two seasons ago the Ivorian was playing in the Essex Senior League, the nineth level of English football. Now, the current League One Player and Young player of the season is playing in England’s second tier. Calling his 2024/25 campaign a standout season is a massive understatement. Kone, who represented the Ivory Coast at the 2019 Homeless World Cup, scored twenty-one goals in his first full professional season with Wycombe Wanderers.
His numbers are simply off the charts, and rattling off some numbers cannot do Kone any justice. QPR have paid £2.75 million for the prolific 22-year-old, excluding add-ons and a sell on percentage, and beat the likes of Swansea, Leicester, Preston, and Toulouse to his signature.
Kone has scored two goals for Queens Park Rangers already this season, having played only 155 minutes in the hoops. This may be the best Championship signing of the transfer window, as the player has seemingly adjusted effortlessly to the level.
The player has followed in the footsteps of club heroes Les Ferdinand and Charlie Austin by making the journey from amateur football to becoming QPR’s main man and it would come as no surprise to see Kone playing for one of Europe’s top clubs sooner rather than later.
Should his star continue to rise, both the Superhoops and the Chairboys could make out like bandits.
Rating: 10/10
Isaac Hayden
After leaving Newcastle earlier in the window, Jamaica international Isaac Hayden rejoined QPR for free, having spent four months on loan at the club in 2024. This signing may not grab attention like Poku or Kone, but the 30-year-old is just as important for the club.
One of only three outfield players aged thirty or older, Hayden should provide the steel and experience the Rangers squad need in the centre of the park. QPR will be hoping that his savvy will rub off on the likes of young Keiran Morgan, and help further improve Jonathan Varane. A player in the prime of his career, with over 100 Premier League appearances is a great addition for the Rs. It may, however, take some time for Hayden to get up to speed, having trained without a club during pre-season.
Rating: 7.5/10
Rhys Norrington-Davies
A loan move for the Welsh international is certainly a risk, despite the temporary nature of his stay at Loftus Road. The 26-year-old has barely played any football since a hamstring injury ruled the fullback out for the 2022 World Cup.
However, Norrington-Davies provides a much-needed left-back option owing to Larkeche’s injury and Esquerdinha’s inexperience. Should the Welshman stay fit, he will surely get plenty of game time for the Rs this campaign. An uninspiring, yet necessary signing for the club.
Rating 5/10
Koki Saito
A fan favourite, Saito has returned to the club where he spent last season on loan.
The Japanese winger is already off the mark this season, scoring minutes into his second debut. The goal perfectly summarises what the 24-year-old is all about.
His close control on the dribble and flair endeared him to the Rangers faithful last season, but his work-rate is what makes him a good signing.
His determination and surprising strength were key for Rangers last year, but more importantly, he’s impossible not to like. The QPR media team knew what they were doing, reuniting Saito with Paul Smyth after both players scored in the Rs’ first victory this season.
With a full season of Championship football already under his belt, Saito provides further competition for a strong set of attacking options.
There has been plenty of speculation regarding the fee paid to his former side, Lommel, but the eye watering £5 million fee touted by the media seems suspect. QPR beat the likes of Derby and Birmingham to sign the player. If the fee is anywhere close to what has been suggested, QPR may have overpaid for Saito, but he certainly has quality.
Rating 6.5/10
Isak Alemayehu
The Sweden under-21 international was Rangers’ only deadline day signing, arriving from Djurgårdens IF for just £60,000. With the player out of contract in January, QPR were able to sign the highly rated 18-year-old for such a minimal fee. Alemayehu may have already won over the Loftus Road faithful, having scored against West London rivals Chelsea in the UEFA Conference League last season.
The player has less than 1,000 senior minutes to his name, and Rs fans may not see the player for some time, as he links up with the club’s development squad. £60,000 for a teenager playing for Sweden’s youth sides may turn out to be a bargain with very little risk for the club.
Rating: 5/10
Overall Rating: 8/10
QPR’s business this summer has been seriously impressive. The club has focused on signing young players with significant upside, enabling the club to sell the players for profit in the upcoming seasons, which has become the club’s objective in recent times.
Signing some of the best talents in League One last season also highlights how the club has learned from the mistakes of last season, where just three of the club’s eleven arrivals came with any senior experience in English football.
Richard Kone and Kwame Poku are the obvious standouts, of course, but the club’s readjustments towards experience later in the window, shows that they are aware that relative youth must be balanced with players with knowhow.
Perhaps the most underrated feature of QPR’s summer, however, has been the contract extensions signed by several of the club’s key players.
Sam Field, Liam Morrison, Steve Cook, and Michael Frey have all agreed to extend their stay at Loftus Road. However, new club captain Jimmy Dunne is probably the most remarkable of all, as he chose to stay with QPR rather than join Sheffield United.
Attacking talents Rayan Kolli and club icon Ilias Chair have also penned new deals in 2025.
In spite of this, there are clear weaknesses in the squad.
Joe Walsh’s performances have worried fans since his promotion to first choice over Paul Nardi, leaving many to question why obvious choice Murphy Cooper was allowed to leave on loan to Barnsley following his breakout performances at Stevenage during 2024/25.
QPR also find themselves lacking defensively. There are just four natural centre-backs in the senior squad, including the ageing Steve Cook and the perennially injured Jake Clarke-Salter, the latter of which has spent over seven months on the sidelines.
Rangers were unable to get a permanent deal for former loanee Ronnie Edwards over the line, much to the chagrin of the entire fanbase.
His quality leaves the squad lacking in quality and makes them reliant upon youngsters like the aforementioned Tylon Smith with the inevitability of availability issues, particularly as Adamson’s lack of readiness may force Mbengue to play right-back at times.
This being said, QPR’s transfer window must be seen as a major success, as the club looks to drag itself away from its relegation fighting status towards the upper echelons of the Championship.
Written by Amar Topan (@W12Amar on X)
