Preston North End join QPR in race to seal £0 transfer for 26-year-old | OneFootball

Preston and QPR are battling it out to sign NAC Breda defender Boy Kemper, but face competition from FC Utrecht.

Preston North End and QPR will be looking to strengthen their respective squads this summer, after both sides ended the season languishing in mid-table.

North End ended the season well clear of the drop, having dealt with some concerns throughout the campaign. Manager Paul Heckingbottom making the most of some of his star loan players to keep the Whites out of danger.

As for QPR, they endured a miserable end to the season by losing all four of their final four matches, and were left winless in six which saw them slump to 15th in the table, one place below Preston.

Both teams will now be looking to strengthen their squads in the summer so they have a better chance of pushing towards the sharp end of the Championship table next season.

Now, according to a fresh report, it seems they both have one of the same transfer targets in mind, but will face competition from elsewhere for his services.

QPR and Preston in transfer tussle with FC Utrecht for Boy Kemper

The name Boy Kemper may not be one that's too familiar for North End fans, but R's supporters have heard plenty about him in recent weeks. The Dutchman has spent his entire career in his native country, having risen through the ranks at Volendam and Ajax.

The 26-year-old is currently the captain of Eredivisie side NAC Breda, but will leave the club on a free transfer at the end of June, with QPR already registering interest in signing the left-back in the summer.

However, the West London side aren't the only Championship club eyeing a move for Kemper, as Preston have joined the race for his signature, according to Dutch news outlet VI.

The second-tier duo have both reportedly shown interest in the defender, with QPR holding talks with him, but VI suggests that NAC Breda's Eredivisie rivals FC Utrecht are leading the race for his services.

Kemper has recently spoken to new Utrecht head coach Anthony Correia, with the player reportedly enthusiastic about a move to the Stadion Galgenwaard.

Both QPR and Preston now seem to be facing an uphill battle to sign Kemper, as VI believes it's just a matter of time before an official offer is sent to the 26-year-old by Utrecht.

The lowdown on QPR and Preston target Boy Kemper

Looking at Kemper's career thus far, it's easy to see why clubs such as QPR and Preston are keen on bringing the Dutchman to England this summer.

The defender began his career in the youth ranks at Volendam before linking up with Ajax's famed academy. He would make the switch to Eredivisie side ADO Den Haag in 2020, completing his first full season of top flight football.

After three years at Den Haag, Kemper signed for NAC Breda in 2023, where they won promotion to the Eredivisie in his first season and managed to retain their top-flight status the following season.

He was eventually appointed the club's captain, enjoying the best season of his career in 2025/26, with five goals and four assists to his name from left-back, which unfortunately wasn't enough to keep NAC in the top flight of Dutch football.

Kemper will now leave the club as a free agent off the back of his best ever season, which has already got plenty of clubs across Europe on red alert.