QPR could unleash scarily good double weapon on the Championship next season - Time to fear the R's? | OneFootball

Queens Park Rangers have been mediocre in the Championship in recent years, but two summer signings could make them look different next seasons.

Queens Park Rangers could be one of the dark horses in the Championship, with the potential arrival of Kwame Poku to play alongside Karamoko Dembele.

QPR supporters have not had much to cheer in recent years.

They've now been in the Championship for ten straight years, and in that time they've failed to finish above 9th place in the table.

The 2024-25 season was no different. Rangers finished the season in 15th place in the table, with manager Marti Cifuentes being put on gardening leave following their final home game of the season.

The signing of Kwame Poku would be a major coup for Queens Park Rangers

But now Rangers have a new manager in Julien Stephan, and fans have cause to get excited with the news that Kwame Poku could be set to join the club from Peterborough United.

To land the signing of Poku would be a major coup for the Rs. Ambitious Birmingham City were interested in him earlier in the summer before reportedly losing interest, while Swansea City and another 'unnamed club' were also understood to be in the running for him.

Poku's contract expires on the 30th June, but he won't be a free transfer because he doesn't turn 24 until August. He had an extremely impressive 2024-25 season in League One with Peterborough, with 12 goals and eight assists in 27 League matches for the club, despite them finishing a lowly 18th in the table.

That was off the back of an 11-goal and seven-assist League One campaign in 2023/24, whilst also having recorded a four-goal and eight-assist season in the third tier in 2022/23.

As such, the Ghanaian has without doubt established himself as one of the best players in League One with Posh over the last few years, and is one of the most exciting talents in the EFL.

Kwame Poku could be the perfect complement for Karamoko Dembele

Karamoko Dembele joined QPR on a season-long loan from the French club Brest last summer, a deal that was made permanent just six weeks after his arrival.

Both are flair players, blessed with excellent dribbling ability. Poku's statistics for the 2024-25 season were outstanding. Had it not been for a hamstring injury which kept him out of the Posh team for just over three months, he may even have made the League One Team of the Season.

But Dembele is no slouch, either, though he also had injury problems during the season, missing almost four months after requiring knee surgery.

Indeed, the 22-year-old enjoyed a superb 2023/24 campaign in League One with Blackpool, scoring eight times and providing 13 assists for the Tangerines.

The wideman shot to fame during his time at Celtic however, as he made his debut at just 16 years of age in May 2019.

As such, the possibility of both Dembele and Poku patrolling the flanks could be excellent news indeed for QPR supporters, who have much else to be pleased about as well so far this summer.

Julien Stephan is a manager with both Champions League and Europa League experience, while Jimmy Dunne has been persuaded to sign a new contract with them despite strong overtures from Sheffield United, which had been going on for months.

The R's scored a mediocre 53 goals in the Championship last season, and so sharpening their cutting edge in attack will undoubtedly be one of the main areas of focus during pre-season and into next term.

With an experienced new manager, the key player from the centre of their defence staying with the club and two players capable of opening up opposing defences - providing they can both be kept fit - an option, Queens Park Rangers supporters have reason for optimism that the new season might see a turnaround in their club's fortunes after years of mediocrity.