QPR must be on red alert as big Man City, Sheffield Wednesday transfer news emerges | OneFootball

QPR must land goalkeeper Pierce Charles this summer, who is set to be loaned out once signing for Manchester City.

Queens Park Rangers will be hopeful of getting themselves into the promotion mix next season under Julien Stephan.

The R’s will enter their 12th straight campaign of Championship football next term, and will be eager to better consecutive 15th-placed finishes in the second tier over the last two terms.

Mid-table mediocrity has unfortunately been a long-term pattern for R’s supporters in West London to endure, but now that the top eight sides will make it into the play-offs next season, there is room for optimism that QPR could well squeak in there over the course of the 46-game slog.

If they are do so, then one area QPR must drastically improve is in the backline, with Stephan’s men conceding far too many goals that pushed them into a poor mid-table finish.

In the goalkeeping department, responsibilities in between the sticks last season were shared between Paul Nardi, Joe Walsh and Ben Hamer, with the trio conceding a combined 78 goals, with the R’s alarmingly conceding 10 goals in their final four league matches of the season.

Therefore, having a solid and dependable man as number one is imperative, and QPR must do all they can to add a figure of those qualities before the start of the 2026-27 campaign.

And they could well do that with Pierce Charles, with the Sheffield Wednesday shot-stopper set to complete an imminent return to Manchester City.

On his return to the Etihad Stadium, the plan has been revealed about where his short-term future lies, and QPR should be at the front of the queue should he become available on a loan deal, particularly after holding previous interest in securing his services.

Pierce Charles, Manchester City switch and short-term future plan

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A report by TeamTALK journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed that Manchester City are closing in on signing goalkeeper Pierce Charles from Sheffield Wednesday during this summer transfer window.

It is understood that City have agreed personal terms with Charles over his return, with a deal now entering its final stages.

It has since been outlined that the Citizens plan is to send Charles out on loan for the 2026-27 season to continue his development, with a move likely to be to another Championship outfit following his success with the Owls.

Charles is viewed as one of England’s top goalkeeping prospects and played 27 times over the course of two seasons for the Owls, mightily impressing in between the sticks, despite playing for a side that lost 32 of their 46 games last season.

The R’s goalkeeping woes have been there for all to see, and with a FLW exclusive back in April revealing QPR’s previous interest in the Republic of Ireland international, you would expect them to reignite their efforts for the 20-year-old.

QPR must do all they can to land Pierce Charles this summer

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Despite playing in such a poor Sheffield Wednesday side last summer, it allowed Pierce Charles to demonstrate his qualities as a top shot-stopper, making 81 saves and registering a save percentage of 68.8%, as per FotMob.

And after conceding a whopping 78 goals last term, it’s clear that QPR are in desperate need of fresh talent in between the sticks, with that search only intensifying given they lost out to Bristol City for former Wigan Athletic number one Sam Tickle.

Therefore, someone like Charles should be top of the R’s shortlist. Emerging as a breakthrough star in the Championship last season, QPR could well be the beneficiaries of his talent, while their promotion chances would definitely increase with him on their books.

Charles is clearly a class act, and the 20-year-old would definitely help bring some stability into the backline and help the defence concede far fewer goals than seen in the past.

A successful team starts with the addition of an assured and high-class goalkeeper, and bringing in someone of Charles’ quality would be such a coup for QPR.

Should a move to Manchester City be confirmed and loaning him out is their intention, the R’s must do all they can to get a deal over the line quickly, with such a signing potentially being the difference maker in QPR getting back into the promotion mix, following years of mid-table slumps.