QPR saw loan deal for Chelsea & Real Madrid star collapse - he could've changed Premier League fate | OneFootball

Ricardo Carvalho rejected a loan offer from QPR in the summer of 2012 to remain with Real Madrid

Queens Park Rangers went on a spending spree in the summer of 2012 under former boss Mark Hughes, signing numerous big names on big contracts, which would go south rather quickly.

In the 2011/12 season, QPR had just about scraped survival in the Premier League, having finished one point above Bolton Wanderers in 18th place, in what should have been a clear warning for the R's.

Then-manager Mark Hughes joined the West London club in January 2012 and just about managed to keep the club afloat by the skin of his teeth, and was tasked with rebuilding the squad for the upcoming season.

In came the likes of Junior Hoilett, Stephane Mbia, Esteban Granero, and Ji-sung Park, to name a few. However, after a frankly awful beginning to the campaign, with zero wins in 12 league matches, Hughes was dismissed from his duties in November and replaced by Harry Redknapp.

Warning signs would have immediately been raised after an opening day 5-0 home defeat to Swansea City, and things could have panned out very differently if their loan move for Real Madrid defender Ricardo Carvalho hadn't fallen through.

Ricardo Carvalho's loan switch to QPR from Real Madrid fell through

QPR were showing their ambition by going after solid veterans such as Park, Rob Green, Ryan Nelsen, Julio Cesar and Jose Bosingwa, and their thinking was no different in their pursuit of Portuguese defender Carvalho.

The then-34-year-old had spent six years in the English capital previously with Chelsea, where he helped to win three Premier League's, three FA Cup's and two League Cups, forming an excellent partnership alongside John Terry in the heart of defence.

Carvalho was told by compatriot and then-Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho that he was no longer needed at the club, and should look to leave the club or risk sitting on the bench the rest of the season.

Hughes sought after the 89-time capped Portugal international, and agreed a deal with Real Madrid to sign the defender on loan, but the deal would eventually fall through and Carvalho would remain in Madrid.

The Portuguese defender made just nine league appearances that season before moving to AS Monaco at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, QPR were relegated to the Championship at rock bottom of the table, and were forever left wondering what could have been had they got a deal over the line for Carvalho.

QPR would have benefited from Ricardo Carvalho's presence, as they were ultimately relegated

It goes without question that this season was particularly nightmarish for R's fans, who will struggle to look back on this year with any sort of fondness.

High-profile signings such as Park, Bosingwa, Loic Remy and Christopher Samba all left after just one season, as the R's went under a mass exodus in the summer that followed, seeing their wage bill drop drastically upon relegation.

Though their real issue was goalscoring, finishing at the league's lowest goalscorers, you can't help but wonder whether Carvalho's signing would have spurred the R's in a slightly different direction with the experience he would have provided.

Whatever the case, it will always remain a mystery whether Carvalho would have impacted QPR's Premier League fate or not.