"I'd be all for it" - QPR backed to strike Newcastle United agreement | OneFootball

FLW has been speaking with our QPR fan pundit to discuss whether a potential loan move for Harrison Ashby would be a good deal for the R's.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Newcastle United right-back Harrison Ashby has emerged as a surprise target for Queens Park Rangers, with fellow Championship side Blackburn Rovers also credited with an interest.

That's according to journalist Alan Nixon via Patreon, who states that QPR, Blackburn and Stoke City are all weighing up loan bids for the Newcastle defender.

Ashby was signed by the Magpies on deadline day in January 2023, in a deal with West Ham United for a reported fee of £3m including add-ons.

Since then, the Scottish youth international is yet to make his competitive debut for the Toon, and spent last season on loan in the Championship with Swansea City.

But this be a good signing for QPR? Football League World investigates...

QPR fan pundit: "I'd be all for it"

FLW's QPR fan pundit, Louis Moir, believes that whilst Ashby is relatively inexperienced at senior level, it is clear why QPR are possibly looking into a deal for a right-back in the final hours of the transfer window, and the Newcastle man could fit the bill.

Moir said: "I can't say I know a lot about Harrison Ashby, but he's one of them that's at a Premier League club, and probably wants to go and play football and develop his game.

"He's still young, and I can actually see why we're in the market for another right-back, which may surprise a few people but I can actually see it now.

"Obviously we've got Jimmy Dunne who is sort of the main right-back, we've got new signing Hevertton Santos who, when given a chance, seems to be playing more of an attacking role as a winger.

"But he is a right-back, and then you've got Reggie Cannon who is nowhere to be seen, and may well leave the club. So, you can see why we're in the market for another right-back.

"Ashby was at West Ham, was highly-rated, and then I think maybe didn't get treated well from what I'm hearing, and left to go to Newcastle. He was on loan at Swansea, so he's had experience of playing in the Championship, albeit not loads of games.

"So yes, I'd be all for it."

Ashby would provide much-needed depth in QPR's defence

With QPR looking to be involved in the play-off discussion come the end of the season, Marti Cifuentes needs strength in depth to be able to call on quality to replace quality over the course of a testing Championship season.

The Hoops have welcomed a host of new arrivals this summer that Cifuentes will hope can go a long way to helping achieve that, but his right-back position still has the feel of potentially becoming a problem position for the club this season.

Dunne has proven that he's a quality starting option at second tier level in that spot, despite being more of a centre-back by trade. The Irishman's ability to play both positions would give Cifuentes the chance to be far more flexible when it comes to squad rotation too.

Bringing in Ashby to push Dunne for the starting role at right-back would provide the catalyst to keep the bit between Dunne's teeth in that position, but it would also mean that when the inevitability of injuries and suspensions occur, the QPR boss will have a better chance of putting round pegs in round holes.

The R's are very light on the ground outside their starting back four players, and so Ashby should be seen as a smart insurance policy, whilst also having the potential to carve out a starting role in Cifuentes' side this season.