QPR's Steve Cook replacement? Julien Stephan must plot Stockport County transfer raid | OneFootball

QPR should look to bring in Ethan Pye to bolster their defensive ranks if Stockport fail to get promoted this season

QPR will be busy once more in the upcoming transfer window, as Julien Stephan continues to build a squad capable of finishing in the play-offs.

Hoops fans have, for the first time in a while, got a lot to look forward to with the future of this team, with numerous exciting, young stars contributing to what could be their first top-half finish since the 2021/22 campaign, and possibly just their second top-10 finish since returning to the Championship in 2015.

However, they are set to part ways with one of the veteran heads at Loftus Road, as the club announced that Steve Cook would leave at the end of the season, when his contract expires.

The 35-year-old hasn't been utilised as much this season as he has in his two prior years at QPR, but his departure still means that Julien Stephan will be searching for someone to not only fill his shoes, but also likely to start next to Ronnie Edwards next season.

And, as the campaign winds down, the French boss may be hoping that Stockport County don't secure promotion to the Championship, as a failure to do so would open the door for them to perhaps swoop in and take Ethan Pye to Loftus Road.

Ethan Pye is Championship-ready — QPR can facilitate that step up

Pye has been a stalwart at the heart of Stockport's defence throughout the last three years, which has seen the Hatters win League Two, place third in League One last season, and possibly do the same again this year.

Despite selection issues in defence to the point where striker Kyle Wootton is being deployed as a makeshift centre half, Pye has remained injury-free. With two weeks remaining of the campaign, the 23-year-old is one of only three outfielders to have played every minute in League One.

And because of that dependability, it's allowed him to showcase his skillset week in, week out, and sit atop the defensive charts in numerous categories. Per FotMob at the start of the week, Pye sits at the top of the tackle and interception numbers in his position, and is in the top 5% in defensive contributions and duels won.

He also ranks highly in passing stats, too, and while a lot of that is down to the possession-based style of play that Dave Challinor likes to deploy, his high percentage completion rate outlines that he's still one of the more effective ball-playing centre-halves in the third tier.

At just 23, Pye has all the abilities to play in the Championship and eventually even higher. If it doesn't happen naturally with Stockport this season, you can guarantee that there'll be second-tier sides forming a disorderly queue to try and take him away from the Hatters.

QPR didn't shy away from League One buys last summer, and shouldn't again in the pursuit of Ethan Pye

Some of QPR's standout players this season were purchased from third-tier clubs this past summer. Attacking duo Richard Kone and Rumarn Burrell arrived from Wycombe Wanderers and Burton Albion, respectively, while fan-favourite full-back Amadou Mbengue made the switch from Reading.

Additionally, even though his debut campaign has been marred by injury, Kwame Poku has high expectations to hit the ground running next season after arriving from Peterborough United.

So, with some of their current attacking talent coming from League One, why not balance that and bring in some quality defenders, along with Mbengue, from the third tier, too?

Pye, a left-footed centre-half, would slot right in next to fellow 23-year-old Edwards, and could form an incredibly exciting partnership which has such a high ceiling, either with QPR or elsewhere, which would bring about a healthy profit as and when a sale would happen.

With the Stockport man out of contract at the end of next season, a failure to get into the Championship this year may make it an inevitability that he leaves, else the Hatters risk losing him for nothing come 2027.

They stood strong on a £3 million valuation last summer as Blackburn Rovers came calling, but they may not have that leverage next season if they remain a third-tier club. Suitors may be able to get him for cheaper, but QPR showed with the Kone signing that they do have the ability to buy players for around £3 million, anyway.

Either way, all this becomes a moot point if Dave Challinor's side achieves Championship promotion this season, as you'd assume that Pye would stay put then. If they don't, QPR should be right at the front of the queue to launch a bid for him.