QPR are well and truly laughing after Plymouth Argyle transfer steal | OneFootball

QPR's decision to sign Rumarn Burrell ahead of Plymouth Argyle has more than paid off

For fans of League One last season, QPR's summer transfer window will have caught the eye mainly due to the attacking trio they were able to bring through the door.

Rumarn Burrell, Richard Kone and Kwame Poku all joined the ranks at Loftus Road after registering 10-goal seasons for their respective clubs the season before.

However, despite the fanfare surrounding Poku and Kone, with both being named in the League One Team of the Season last year, it's been Burrell who has excelled in the second tier so far.

The Jamaican had only spent one year in League One after his move from the Scottish third tier with Cove Rangers.

Many thought Burrell had what it took to end up in the Championship at some point, but believed that a few more years in League One would have been optimal for his growth before making that next step.

Therefore, when recently relegated Plymouth Argyle emerged as a potential destination for the 24-year-old, and Burrell was seemingly keen on a move to Devon, it seemed a no-brainer, as the Pilgrims would allow him to continue his growth in League One with the view of ending up in the Championship the following year.

But QPR took the risk, spent just over £1 million to bring him in, and they're reaping the rewards.

Rumarn Burrell has hit the ground running at QPR, and Plymouth Argyle must be green with envy

Rumarn Burrell has taken to the Championship about as quickly as he is, which is exceptionally quick.

Although things could have been different this season, as Plymouth were reportedly interested in bringing the Jamaican international to Home Park.

Football League World exclusively revealed at the beginning of July that Tom Cleverley was looking to bring Burrell in, as their striker position had a gaping hole in it due to the departure of Ryan Hardie, and a few weeks later, Sky Sports stated that Argyle had made a bid for the 24-year-old.

Less than a week after that bid was made, though, Burrell was a QPR player, turning down a move to a fellow League One club and instead making that step up to the Championship after an impressive sole season at Burton Albion.

Given the array of attacking talent at Loftus Road when the 24-year-old signed, and then later on when Kone made the switch to QPR too, it was expected that Burrell would be used primarily as an impact substitute, using his raw pace to terrify tired defences.

However, his performances when he has come off the bench have forced Julien Stephan to consider him as his line-leader regularly.

An assist from the bench against Charlton Athletic saw him start the next game against Wrexham, in which he scored, and then, after a barren run which saw him dropped once more, he scored from the bench against Millwall in a 2-1 defeat, and has since started each of the last six games.

Over those six games, despite results being inconsistent, Burrell has scored four goals, which has taken him atop the QPR scoring charts and among the best second-tier strikers in the Championship goal ranks, too.

It's been a dream start for the Jamaican in the Championship. QPR are hoping it'll continue, while Plymouth are being left wondering 'what if' the rapid striker ended up in their ranks instead.

Plymouth Argyle could have had the perfect League One attacking duo if Rumarn Burrell had signed there instead of QPR

Granted, Plymouth's pursuit of Lorent Tolaj happened nearly a month after Burrell was confirmed as a QPR player, so the current League One top scorer may not have ended up at Home Park if the former Burton man had made the move instead.

But, given the pull of a club with ambitions to get back into the Championship immediately, a move late in the window for the former Port Vale frontman could still have been planned, regardless of prior attacking additions.

Argyle haven't had a lot of joy this season, with their return to League One going about as badly as it could have, but the Swiss striker's exploits have been a bright spark.

So, if there were a world where Tolaj and Burrell, two seemingly Championship-standard attackers, linked up at Plymouth, the two may have gone down as one of the more dangerous and exciting duos the third tier has ever seen, and the Pilgrims would definitely not be in as much trouble as they are currently.

Therefore, the emergence of Burrell as a top frontman in the second tier will not only frustrate Argyle, given that he almost made the move to Home Park, but also because it has robbed them of a frightening pairing up top.

Plymouth will hope that they can end up back in the Championship, taking on Burrell in the near future, but with the 24-year-old's rapid growth, he's going from strength to strength, and there's a chance he may have outgrown the second tier in a few years.