Exclusive: Sky Sports pundit backs QPR to seal Loftus Road return for West Brom ace | OneFootball

Lee Hendrie believes QPR re-signing Darnell furlong would "totally be a nice fit".

Former Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie has shared his insights on whether a reunion between Darnell Furlong and his boyhood club QPR would be a good signing.

In recent days, Darren Witcoop reported QPR have Furlong on their list of summer targets as they look for Jimmy Dunne’s successor.

Current Player of the Year Dunne is looking increasingly likely to depart Loftus Road on a free transfer this summer with just two months remaining on his contract.

Even though Dunne has been an integral part of The R's defence this season, playing 44 times, perhaps QPR are now ruing at the missed opportunity to have cashed in on the Republic of Ireland international in January, having rejected a bid from Sheffield United.

For this reason alone, a like-for-like case can be made, but Furlong has become a lot more experienced since joining the Baggies in 2019 from QPR. The 29-year-old came through the West London club's youth system, making his senior debut in February 2015. Despite his promising start, Furlong's initial years at the club were marked by limited first-team opportunities, leading to loan spells at Northampton Town, Cambridge United, and Swindon Town.

His consistent spell in the R's starting eleven could have been halted further, as QPR's then-Director of Football, Les Ferdinand, candidly stated in 2016 that Furlong's early appearances for the first team were due to a lack of alternatives, suggesting the young defender wasn't fully ready for top-tier football at the time.

Lee Hendrie backs QPR to return Darnell Furlong from West BromSpeaking exclusively to Football League World, Hendrie backed the signing of Furlong. He believes that his experience would make him a "nice fit" back at Loftus Road in a later stage of his career.

Hendrie said: "(Darnell Furlong) I’ve always been impressed with him, he’s always one of them solid players that you know you can get a solid eight out of ten from in most games.

"He puts on performances and gets himself forward, he gives them bags of experience, knows the football club well enough.

"I think he’d be a great signing for them, particularly with the younger players that they have. It would totally be a nice fit."

At 29, Furlong is entering the prime years of his career. It is clear Hendrie believes that with his experience and game knowledge, Furlong can continue to be a valuable asset at Championship level.

Furlong linked for a QPR reunion amid Marti Cifuentes turmoil

The developments to Furlong's transfer speculation come after an official announcement on Tuesday that R's boss Marti Cifuentes had been removed from the club and placed on gardening leave. This implies that, regardless of what happens on the manager front, transfer business will still be conducted.

Along with Furlong, QPR are also pondering over another out-of-contract defender, Middlesbrough's Anfernee Dijksteel, as per Darren Witcoop.

QPR deserve credit for plodding along and pursuing deals in spite of everything that is currently playing out behind the scenes, and they're not being complacent either by already looking for potential successors to Dunne ahead of his likely exit this summer.

Furlong's experience could make him a shrewd addition to what is a rather young and inexperienced squad in the Championship, and it will be interesting to see potential developments on this one in the coming weeks and months.