"I am buzzing" - QPR lauded as R's seal two exciting transfer deals | OneFootball

FLW's Hoops fan pundit is excited to see what Dembele and Saiko can do this season

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

QPR have confirmed the double addition of wingers Karamoko Dembélé and Koki Saito to their squad for the new season, and R's supporters have been urged to get excited about their prospects in 2024/25.

Dembélé, who was long highly-rated as a youth player at Celtic, has joined Marti Cifuentes' side on a season-long loan from French outfit Stade Brestois, after the Hoops beat off reported competition for his signature from Birmingham City and Derby County.

The 21-year-old enjoyed an impressive term on loan at Blackpool in 2023/24, as he registered eight goals and 13 assists in League One under Neil Critchley, and he has now sealed a move to the second-tier for the new campaign.

Japanese youth international Saito has arrived at Loftus Road for the season from Belgian side Lommel SK, but has been plying his trade on loan in the Eredivisie with Sparta Rotterdam for the last two years.

Saito was one of Sparta's standout players with 10 goals and 10 assists each in 54 games across his two seasons with the club, and now faces a new challenge in the Championship as the Hoops aim to push further up the league under Cifuentes.

QPR fan reaction to Dembélé and Saiko's signings

QPR's interest in Dembélé was first reported by Fabrizio Romano on August 9, while Saito's potential signing was first mooted by ESPN on the same day, so it may have come as a shock to supporters to have tied both players down so quickly, but it can only bode well for the future as it speaks to their clear desire to be at the club this season.

FLW's resident Hoops fan pundit, Louis Moir, believes that Dembélé and Saiko will add some much-needed firepower to Cifuentes' attacking ranks this season, and both players should be given starting berths in his side when everyone is fit.

“I’m absolutely delighted. I think there is a lot of excitement around the fanbase involving these two new signings,” Louis told FLW.

“They are both loans, so hopefully they both do really well and something can be sorted next year, and they can be tied down to a longer deal.

“Regardless of that, I think the first league game showed that we can't be having Paul Smyth and a youngster in Rayan Kolli starting games, so to bring in two attack-minded wingers is going to be massive.

“They both look so exciting, obviously Dembélé has come in with a lot of hype, more so about him (than) Saiko, but he looks superb too.

"They both look like brilliant talents.

“They each add some much-needed pace, and I can’t wait to see them both starting.

“To have these two, Ilias Chair when he is back fit, Lucas Andersen, Smyth off the bench, promising youngsters in Kolli and Alfie Lloyd…it just adds so much more.

“This will hopefully make us a bigger threat going forward. We should create a lot more chances, which will hopefully give Zan Celar the chance to score a few, because with his record, you would think he’d be putting a few in the back of the net if he gets chances.

“I just can’t wait to see them play. I really want to see them starting now, especially when Chair is out.

“It could be fun to watch, so I am buzzing with both of them.”

Cifuentes needed Dembele and Saiko in his squad

R's boss Cifuentes had some work to do this summer to bolster his side's attacking talent, after a disappointing season in front of goal in 2023/24, and he looks to have taken two big steps in fixing his frontline with the additions of Dembélé and Saiko.

The Hoops were the fourth-lowest scorers in the Championship last season, and winger Chris Willock has since left Loftus Road upon the expiry of his contract, while striker Sinclair Armstrong has departed to join Bristol City, so additions were needed in attack this summer.

Centre-forward Zan Celar has started the campaign as Cifuentes' main number nine after arriving this summer with a fine goal record in Switzerland with Lugano, but the Hoops were definitely lacking in wide areas in the season's opener against West Brom, with Paul Smyth and youngster Rayan Kolli given starts on each wing.

Both new players can play in either wide attacking positions, and Dembélé mostly featured as a number 10 in his time at Blackpool, so they each add a versatile option to the Hoops' attack and will surely anticipate consistent starting berths this season if they hit the ground running in West London.