Kwame Poku may feel early QPR transfer regret involving Birmingham City | OneFootball

Kwame Poku chose QPR this summer, but may be feeling some regret after a poor start to the season for the Hoops

Kwame Poku has had to sit and watch from the sidelines over the past couple of weeks as his new side, QPR, have endured a handful of rough defeats.

The exciting 24-year-old was withdrawn 67 minutes into his debut in the Hoops' 1-1 draw with Preston North End with a hamstring injury, which is set to see him out until after the September international break.

Since then, Julien Stephan's side lost in the EFL Cup to a Plymouth Argyle side who had started their League One campaign in terrible form, were beaten 2-1 by Watford, and then were embarrassed by Coventry City, conceding seven without reply en route to a 7-1 defeat.

It's not been the best start to the season for Poku or his new club, but other clubs that were interested in Ghanaian, namely Birmingham City, have started well, and the wideman may be regretting his decision to make the switch to Loftus Road instead of St Andrew's @ Knightead Park.

Birmingham City's fast start may leave Kwame Poku regretting QPR transfer decision

Poku was one of the players to watch in the transfer window this summer, as it was inevitable that, as his Peterborough United contract expired following the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign, the 24-year-old would be on the move.

Despite missing nearly half of the campaign, Poku was still named in the official EFL League One team of the season, and Championship clubs were forming a disorderly queue to acquire his services.

Swansea City were another side to agree terms with Peterborough, and Football League World exclusively revealed that Birmingham were ready to offer Poku a contract worth a whopping £30,000 per week.

Both clubs have started the season in better form than QPR, who parted ways with £900,000 in compensation to bring the winger to Loftus Road, but the Blues especially have shown strong promotion credentials through three weeks, picking up seven points out of nine, and were a late George Hirst penalty away from joining Stoke City and Middlesbrough on maximum points.

Not only may Poku be regretting turning down such a lucrative contract offer, but there may also be some frustration that the former Peterborough man won't be able to shine in a side that could be vying for a place in the Premier League come May.

QPR's fortunes, on the other hand, feel uncertain at this moment in time, and while it's definitely far too early to consider writing off Stephan's side just yet, it's already difficult to realistically see them competing for promotion with Birmingham - and that's what could potentially leave Poku with a tinge of regret.

It's still early days - and Kwame Poku can shine in this QPR side when fit

Whilst QPR's start to the season has been anything but ideal, there's still some comfort in that 43 games are remaining to put the slow start behind them.

Additionally, at Loftus Road, Poku will be one of the focal points of the attack, you'd assume, whereas if he joined Birmingham, who themselves are littered with attacking prowess, it's arguable that the 24-year-old could get lost in the shuffle over a long season.

Especially if his unwanted injury record keeps up, too. A hamstring injury kept him out for three months last season, and it has already hit him this term as well.

At QPR, there's an expectation that Poku will immediately return to the starting eleven when fit, but at somewhere like Birmingham, three months would allow someone else to prove themselves to Chris Davies and take the position away from the winger.

Ultimately, Julien Stephan needs to hope that this minor setback is the only one Poku sees this season, as he'll be an important piece in ensuring that his terrible start in the Loftus Road dugout doesn't continue for too long after the September international break is over.