QPR must look to Ipswich Town to solve summer transfer window priority for Julien Stephan | OneFootball

QPR are likely to be in the market for a new keeper this summer and Ipswich Town's Alex Palmer would be an upgrade on what they have right now.

QPR are sat in mid-table in the Championship, and they look like one of several teams with little to play for in the remaining seven games of the season.

It will be frustrating for Julien Stephan that his team haven’t sustained a push for the play-offs, but there have been signs of progress, with the Frenchman building a talented, young squad.

Perhaps the only positive surrounding QPR’s current position is that it gives them a head start on their preparations for the 2026/27 campaign.

Stephan and the recruitment team will be working on improving the group, and they will no doubt have a list of potential targets to enhance the XI.

QPR have had a difficult season with their goalkeepers

Whilst some may disagree, it would be no surprise if QPR are prioritising a new goalkeeper above all else.

It has been quite a remarkable season so far for the R’s with their keepers, as Ben Hamer, Paul Nardi and Joe Walsh have all featured on multiple occasions.

Obviously, it’s unusual for a club to play three keepers in a season, and with Murphy Cooper having had a spell on loan at Sheffield Wednesday, it means they have had four stoppers play at this level.

Yet, the reality is that none have truly convinced, and even though Nardi looks set to leave in the summer as his contract runs down, the goalkeeping department could do with an overhaul.

Walsh is the current number one for the Londoners, and the 23-year-old is an exciting talent, but there will be question marks over his ability to play for a side pushing for a top eight finish next season.

Alex Palmer would be a shrewd signing for QPR amid Ipswich Town struggles

QPR’s overall approach of targeting younger players is an admirable one, but any successful team needs to have the right balance, and many would agree that a strong, reliable keeper is crucial to any good team.

Therefore, it’s something the R’s should look to address in the summer, and one man who fits the bill for what they need is Alex Palmer.

The 29-year-old is currently at Ipswich, but since picking up an injury in October, he has failed to regain his place, with Kieran McKenna sticking with Christian Walton as the Tractor Boys chase promotion.

You can’t imagine Palmer is enjoying the situation, and he will be weighing up his future heading into the summer window.

If Ipswich win promotion, it would be no surprise if a new stopper was signed, but, even if they stay in the Championship, keeping Walton and Palmer doesn’t seem feasible, and, right now, Palmer is backup.

So, there could be an opportunity for a club to do a deal, and Palmer is the sort of proven, solid keeper that QPR should be looking to sign.

He has shown his credentials in the Championship with West Brom. During his time with the Baggies over a three-year period, Palmer kept 40 clean sheets in 101 games, which is a very impressive return.

Of course, it was a team effort, but you don’t put up those numbers unless you are a very capable stopper - and it was that form that prompted Ipswich to sign Palmer as a Premier League club.

Palmer may not always catch the eye, but he is excellent at doing the basics. He is agile across the line, he has the ability to occasionally pull off the spectacular, and he is brave in coming for crosses.

After a positive start at Ipswich, it appeared he would be number one at Portman Road for the long-term, but things can change quickly in football, and that injury, combined with Walton’s form, has put Palmer’s future in doubt.

That could open the door for a summer transfer, and it’s something QPR must explore if they want to be in the hunt for a play-off place in 12 months time.