"Compared to Mark Viduka" - Potential QPR deal for "exciting" striker questioned | OneFootball

FLW's Hoops fan pundit is unsure about the club's transfer priorities after a reported bid for Thomas Waddingham

Queens Park Rangers have been urged to sign a more proven Championship striker this month after a bid was reportedly placed for Brisbane Roar frontman Thomas Waddingham, and have been told to loan out one of Alfie Lloyd or Rayan Kolli to boost their respective first-team experiences.

Waddingham netted seven times in 23 games in the Australian top-flight for the Roar last season, after he signed his first professional deal at the club last summer following some outstanding performances for their youth teams, and has seen his performances improve even more so far this term.

The 19-year-old has bagged four goals and one assist in 11 A-League games so far this season, despite the Roar being yet to win a game, and his form has alerted numerous Championship sides, including QPR, to his availability this month.

Marti Cifuentes' side have climbed up the second-tier standings in recent weeks, after just one defeat in their last 11 outings, but the Spaniard is looking to add some much-needed firepower to his attack in the coming weeks to help the R's into the top-half.

QPR fan pundit questions transfer priorities amid Thomas Waddingham links

According to a recent report from Football Insider, QPR, along with fellow Championship side Sheffield Wednesday, have submitted a bid for Waddingham's services, with the two clubs battling it out to bring him to England in this month’s transfer window, while Code Sports have also claimed that Portsmouth are interested in a move.

QPR currently have the likes of Michael Frey, Zan Celar and Alfie Lloyd as their first-team striker options, as well as Rayan Kolli, who has also filled in as a centre-forward when needed, but Celar has recently been linked with a move away after a tough first half-season at the club, while the latter duo are each still inexperienced at first-team level.

FLW's Hoops fan pundit, Louis Moir, is apprehensive over a move for Waddingham due to his similar lack of experience at senior level, and believes that the club should move for a more recognised second-tier striker in the coming weeks, while one of Lloyd or Kolli should be loaned out to improve their development.

“I can’t say I’ve ever heard of this lad (Waddingham), but having looked at him, he obviously has got something about him," Louis told FLW.

“If he’s only 19 and he has suddenly come into first-team football, despite the level in terms of quality out in Australia, he’s come in and seems to be scoring a lot of goals.

“From what I’ve seen about him, apparently Bayern Munich were even looking at him, and he has been compared to Mark Viduka.

“If he turns out to be anything like him, then obviously he would be a decent prospect.

“I’m not sure if he has got a lot of pace to his game, because that’s what we need.

“(In terms of) keeping faith with Alfie Lloyd and Rayan Kolli, I think Lloyd, more so, needs a loan, whether that is in League One or Two, just to get a good amount of game-time.

“I’d be looking to get another striker in and then loaning one of those two out, because they need it.

“They are obviously both young themselves, and it would be massive for each of them at this stage in their career.

“You can see in both Lloyd and Kolli, that they lack things in certain parts of their games. It’s just because they both need to play more.

“Kolli, especially, had never played senior football before this season.

“Waddingham might even potentially be one of those signings where he doesn’t go into the first-team straight away, and he could be more of a B-team signing, similar to what we did with Daniel Bennie.

“He could be exciting. We’ll have to see what happens.

“I’d prefer a more recognised striker signing, in terms of what we need at this level, compared to someone who has just come onto the scene in Australia.”

Waddingham might not be the right man for QPR this month

Waddingham may be a relative unknown to English football fans, but this is not the first time he has been touted with a potential move to these shores, after Football Insider reported that Tottenham Hotspur were leading a host of Premier League clubs for his signature back in April, so it is clear that he is rated highly.

A report from TEAMtalk last summer also claimed that Stoke City were interested in signing the 19-year-old before the transfer window closed, with fellow Championship side Hull City and a host of clubs across Europe also reportedly tracking his progress, but a move never materialised, and he has stayed at Brisbane for this term.

The 19-year-old has had some great spells in the A-League in his short career so far, but the standard of that league is lower than that of the Championship, so it is unclear how well his talents would transfer to England if he was to make the move.

It is fair to say that, despite their improved recent form, QPR need major investment into their attack, as Frey is their only striker that has scored at a decent rate this season, with six goals in 16 games in all competitions so far.

Celar is yet to prove himself in the second-tier, and neither Lloyd nor Kolli should be relied on so early on in their respective careers, so an experienced, proven striker is what the R's need this month to add to their lacking attack.

Waddingham is clearly a highly-rated player, but adding an unproven youngster to Cifuentes' squad for a decent fee could do more harm than good in the short-term, as there are zero guarantees that he can transfer his scoring form over to a much better level.