Queens Park Rangers are now chasing a “brilliant” forward who wants to leave his club during the January transfer window, according to a report.
QPR pushing for the play-offs
QPR’s fortunes have been on the up in 2025, winning all four of their Championship fixtures this month, with their only defeat coming in a 6-2 defeat away at Leicester City in the FA Cup.
As a result, Marti Cifuentes’ side are making an unlikely push for the play-offs, now sitting just four points behind sixth-placed Blackburn Rovers, so there are plenty of reasons for optimism at Loftus Road heading into the second half of the season.
That said, the heavy defeat at Leicester is a stark reminder of the expanding gulf in class between the Premier League and the Championship these days, so Cifuentes may feel some new additions to the squad may be needed this month.
The only business QPR have done so far is signing young defender Ronnie Edwards on loan from Southampton for the remainder of the campaign, but it appears as though Cifuentes may also be keen to strengthen in attacking positions, having identified a new target.
According to a report from Football Insider, the Hoops are now chasing Celtic winger Luis Palma, who is attracting the interest of a number of clubs this month. Within the Championship, Sunderland, Stoke City and Swansea City have all registered their interest, while there are also several unnamed potential suitors from across Europe.
The winger wants to secure a move away from Parkhead this month, as he has struggled for game time in the Scottish Premiership, and the likelihood of him signing for another club is now growing.
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Queens Park Rangers’ upcoming Championship fixtures |
Date |
|
Sheffield Wednesday (h) |
January 25th |
|
Millwall (a) |
February 1st |
|
Blackburn Rovers (h) |
February 4th |
|
Coventry City (a) |
February 11th |
|
Derby County (h) |
February 14th |
|
Portsmouth (a) |
February 22nd |
Luis Palma could be a top signing for QPR
Although the Honduras international has fallen down the pecking order at Celtic Park this season, he has previously impressed with the Scottish champions, scoring two goals in five Champions League outings last season.
Moreover, the 25-year-old was one of the Hoops’ best players in the Scottish Premiership last term, averaging a Sofascore match rating of 7.61, the second-highest of any player to feature in at least 50% of the matches.
The former Aris man reached double figures for goals and assists in all competitions, playing a key role in Celtic winning the Scottish Premiership title, so it is clear he has bags of quality in the attacking third.
Spanish agent Paulo Hernandez lauded the forward as “brilliant” during his time in Greece, and his performances north of the border last season indicate he could be capable of adjusting to life in the Championship relatively quickly.
QPR’s recent run of form leaves them just outside the play-off places, but if they are able to win the race for Palma’s signature this month, their hopes of finishing inside the top six could be seriously boosted.