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World Cup Watch: QPR must court Cameroon striker, not ageing stars

| 30.05.2014

A return to the promised land of the Premier League has unsurprisingly led to QPR being linked with all sorts of big-name transfer targets ahead of the World Cup, including Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand.

However, Rangers must surely learn from their mistakes in terms of transfer policy and instead of going for aging stars and big names looking for a payday, Harry Redknapp must look for younger, hungry players with reasonable wage demands.

The World Cup is sure to shine the spotlight on some more under-the-radar figures Redknapp could bolster his freshly promoted squad with, although firstly he’ll need to hire a log splitter in order to get rid of all the dead wood at Loftus Road.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting – Cameroon – Forward

Although the shirt printers at QPR will have their work cut out to fit his name on the back, the Bundesliga-based forward would offer a smashing alternative for the over-relied upon Charlie Austin.

Plying his trade for Mainz, the German-born 25-year-old’s 10 league goals helped this mid-table club to a seventh-place finish this season.

At 6ft 2ins, Choupo-Moting is great in the air and capable of handling the Premier League’s hurly burly, while he takes penalties and is quick enough to get in behind defences also.

Given he was Cameroon’s joint top scorer in World Cup qualifying, Choupo-Moting is additionally worth considering at 5/1 to score more than his teammates in Brazil.

Kostas Manolas – Greece – Defender

With the likes of Richard Dunne and Clint Hill looking into suitable nursing homes this summer, Redknapp must inject some youth into central defence.

Manolas was very close to joining Everton having caught the eye at AEK Athens, but instead chose a move to Olympiakos for the start of the 2012/13 campaign, where the 22-year-old has since impressed for the Greek champions.

The young centre-back has since attracted interest from the likes of Tottenham, but QPR can steal a march.

Niko Kranjcar – Croatia – Midfielder

Of course the silky Croatian midfielder is no stranger to the Loftus Road faithful having spent this season there on loan from parent club Dynamo Kiev.

At 29, the former Portsmouth player still has a lot to offer and with proven Premier League experience in his locker, Redknapp should make the necessary arrangements to sign him permanently.

This is a deal which should be sewn up before the World Cup.

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Author

Christian Crowther

Give Christian a sport with anything remotely spherical in it and he’ll happily while away the hours watching it on the box. However, he’d much prefer writing about, playing or betting on golf, football, cricket, tennis, snooker.... you get the picture.