QPR hit the jackpot in messy Argentine transfer raid: View | OneFootball

In the summer of 2009, QPR took a punt on Argentine midfielder Alejandro Faurlin from second division side Instituto, and it's fair to say it proved to be a memorable signing for more reason than one.

Coming from the Argentine second tier, Faurlin was an unknown quantity in this country, and his signing would go on to make headlines in the years that followed, but not necessarily for all the right reasons.

However, Faurlin's seven-year stay in West London saw him become a fan favourite, and he played a big role in what was one of the most successful periods in QPR's recent history.

Alejandro Faurlin's QPR move was a messy one

In the summer of 2009, QPR signed Faurlin from Argentine club Instituto for a reported club record fee of £3.5million. However, there was no evidence that money was paid to the club, and would later be a huge point of contention.

During his first season at the club, Faurlin made 44 appearances in all competitions, helping the club to a 13th place finish, but huge controversy was around the corner the following season.

In March 2011, the FA charged QPR with seven breaches of regulations relating to third-party ownership and agents surrounding Faurlin's deal to move to Loftus Road.

Things were about to get messy, and QPR were alleged to have used or sought to pay an unauthorized agent in relation to Faurlin's registration in July 2009.

The Hoops were also charged with agreeing a deal with a third party for the player's economic rights and allegedly failing to notify the FA of the arrangement before registering Faurlin.

This meant that QPR faced a punishment such as a big fine, or a points deduction, which would have been catastrophic for the club as they were top of the Championship table.

On the final day of the Championship season, despite being found guilty of the most serious charge, QPR were not deducted points, instead they were fined £800,000, meaning they were free to celebrate winning the Championship title.

The FA deemed that QPR had not acted in bad faith, and therefore they didn't deduct points from them. It was a stressful few months for Faurlin and the club, but with that behind them, they could look forward to the future.

Alejandro Faurlin was an excellent player for QPR

Despite the off-field controversy, Faurlin was an important player for QPR in their promotion-winning campaign, playing 40 league games, and he continued to be a mainstay in the team after their promotion to the Premier League.

He started the first 20 games of the Hoops' Premier League era before disaster struck, and he tore his ACL, keeping him out until the following August.

The 2012/13 campaign was a difficult one for QPR, and they were ultimately relegated, but Faurlin, who had struggled for a run of games at Loftus Road, spent the second-half of the season on loan at Palermo in Serie A.

With the club being relegated to the Championship, many of QPR's first-team stars left, but Faurlin remained, and impressed in the club's opening games before disaster struck yet again, and he tore his ACL once more.

He subsequently missed the club's play-offs games, but QPR got promoted at the first attempt, and were a Premier League side yet again.

Incredibly, after just two Premier League games, Faurlin tore his ACL for the third time, and he would be out of action for a year, returning to the fold in August 2015 with the Hoops now a Championship side again.

The 2015/16 season was Faurlin's last at QPR and in English football, and thankfully he managed to stay fit, playing 30 league games for the club, and showing why the club had kept faith in him despite his injuries.

He left in the summer of 2016 on a free transfer and joined Spanish outfit Getafe, where he remained until 2019, when he moved to Marbella.

Fittingly, Faurlin would spend the 2021/22 season at Instituto, the club QPR had signed him from, before retiring in the summer of 2022.

It's fair to say that Faurlin's time in West London was an eventful one. 163 appearances, three long-term ACL injuries, two promotions and one transfer scandal saw the Argentine midfielder become a household name in Championship circles, and the midfielder will always be fondly remembered at Loftus Road.