Why QPR have signed Amadou Mbengue - Christian Nourry has confirmed 5 reasons | OneFootball

Queens Park Rangers CEO Christian Nourry has offered five reasons why the club recruited Reading defender Amadou Mbengue.

Queens Park Rangers CEO Christian Nourry has outlined five reasons why the club recruited Reading defender Amadou Mbengue.

The 23-year-old made the switch at the end of his contract with the Royals, stepping into the Championship at a QPR side under new management.

QPR chief Christian Nourry labels five reasons for signing

Mbengue played over 100 games across all competitions at Reading, including 26 Championship appearances in the 2022/23 campaign.

Speaking to the QPR club website, CEO Nourry said: “Amadou brings pace, power, defensive nous and an infectious personality to the first-team squad, as well as EFL experience.

French side Metz was the place Mbengue called home before his switch to Reading, as he now takes another move in England with QPR fighting off a number of rival clubs to secure his signature.

Nourry went on to add that he was "pleased" the centre-back had chosen to take the next step of his career with the Rangers, following a 109-appearance spell with the now Noel Hunt-led outfit.

The Senegal under-23s international had been offered a new contract at Reading, who recently added Lincoln City captain Paudie O’Connor to their defensive ranks, but opted instead to move away from Berkshire.

Mbengue, who operates in the centre of defence, started 33 League One games for Reading last term, ranking highly in a number of categories. He won 219 duels at a success rate of 63.7%, while winning 49 tackles at a ratio of 63.6% success.

Other areas of the centre-backs game shone too, with 1,022 passes completed across the league campaign and an impressive 151 accurate long balls launched as Reading went close to securing a play-off spot despite troubles in the boardroom.

Another show of intent from QPR

QPR continue to show their intent at having a real go at climbing the Championship table next season.

Mbengue is the club’s first signing since Julien Stephan replaced Marti Cifuentes as head coach at Loftus Road, with ambitions of finishing higher up the second-tier table than the 15th spot they managed last term.

And, with strong ties to out-of-contract Peterborough United star Kwame Poku, QPR are making a splash in the summer transfer window.

With the club’s chief Nourry outlining that pace, power, defensive knowhow, a strong personality, and experience of the EFL, are the reasons that they sought Mbengue’s signature.

A lot is made of character in modern-day recruitment, but that has clearly played a part in QPR’s latest move. The London-based outfit have not only focused on Mbengue’s defensive and on-field qualities, instead taking into account his manner away from the pitch as well.

The first signing of the summer has been well-thought-out by the higher-ups at Loftus Road, and it may just be the first in a string of impressive moves before the first ball is kicked in the 2025/26 Championship season.