That’s according to journalist Alan Nixon via Patreon, who states that QPR, Blackburn and Stoke City are all weighing up loan bids for the Newcastle defender.
Ashby was signed by the Magpies on deadline day in January 2023, in a deal with West Ham United for a reported fee of £3m including add-ons.
Since then, the Scottish youth international is yet to make his competitive debut for the Toon, and spent last season on loan in the Championship with Swansea City.
But this be a good signing for QPR? Football League World investigates…
FLW’s QPR fan pundit, Louis Moir, believes that whilst Ashby is relatively inexperienced at senior level, it is clear why QPR are possibly looking into a deal for a right-back in the final hours of the transfer window, and the Newcastle man could fit the bill.
Moir said: “I can’t say I know a lot about Harrison Ashby, but he’s one of them that’s at a Premier League club, and probably wants to go and play football and develop his game.
“He’s still young, and I can actually see why we’re in the market for another right-back, which may surprise a few people but I can actually see it now.
“Obviously we’ve got Jimmy Dunne who is sort of the main right-back, we’ve got new signing Hevertton Santos who, when given a chance, seems to be playing more of an attacking role as a winger.
“I think he did ok at Swansea, but he may just need another chance to show what he can do at Championship level. I wouldn’t be against it.
“I don’t know a lot about him, so I can’t really comment on his game or what he’s necessarily good at, but it’s a loan from a Premier League club and if he fits the model of what we’re looking at, then why not get him in to cover at right-back as more depth in that position?
With QPR looking to be involved in the play-off discussion come the end of the season, Marti Cifuentes needs strength in depth to be able to call on quality to replace quality over the course of a testing Championship season.
The Hoops have welcomed a host of new arrivals this summer that Cifuentes will hope can go a long way to helping achieve that, but his right-back position still has the feel of potentially becoming a problem position for the club this season.
Dunne has proven that he’s a quality starting option at second tier level in that spot, despite being more of a centre-back by trade. The Irishman’s ability to play both positions would give Cifuentes the chance to be far more flexible when it comes to squad rotation too.
Bringing in Ashby to push Dunne for the starting role at right-back would provide the catalyst to keep the bit between Dunne’s teeth in that position, but it would also mean that when the inevitability of injuries and suspensions occur, the QPR boss will have a better chance of putting round pegs in round holes.
The R’s are very light on the ground outside their starting back four players, and so Ashby should be seen as a smart insurance policy, whilst also having the potential to carve out a starting role in Cifuentes’ side this season.
Journalist Alan Nixon of Pathreon claims that Stoke City, Blackburn, and QPR are all considering loan offers for the Newcastle defender.
On January 20, 2023, Ashby signed a contract with the Magpies from West Ham United for a reported £3 million in add-ons.
The Scottish youth international spent the previous season on loan at Swansea City in the Championship, and he has yet to make his competitive debut for the Toon.
But will QPR benefit from this signing?Football League World conducts research.
Although Ashby is relatively inexperienced at the senior level, Louis Moir, a QPR supporter on FLW, believes that Ashby’s potential suitability for a right-back in the closing hours of the transfer window is obvious.
“It’s hard for me to say how much I know about Harrison Ashby, but he’s a player at a Premier League team who likely wants to go play football and improve.” Moir added.
Although it may surprise some, I can genuinely see why we’re looking for another right-back, and he’s still rather young.
“Of course, Jimmy Dunne serves as sort of the starting right-back, and our newest addition, Hevertton Santos, appears to be playing more of a winger role when given the opportunity to attack.
“I think he played alright at Swansea, but he might simply require another opportunity to perform at the Championship level. It wouldn’t bother me.
“Since I don’t know much about him, I can’t really comment on his game or what he’s good at, but since he’s on loan from a Premier League team and he seems to match the mold of what we’re looking at, why not bring him in as further depth at right-back?
Marti Cifuentes needs depth in order to be able to substitute quality for quality during a challenging Championship season, as QPR hopes to be in the play-off conversation at the end of the campaign.
Although Cifuentes will be hoping that the Hoops’ summer acquisitions would help much in that regard, his right-back position still feels like it could be a concern for the team this season.
Though he was more of a center-back by trade, Dunne has demonstrated that he is a good starting choice at the second tier level in that role. The Irishman’s dual positional versatility would also allow Cifuentes to rotate his squad with significantly more flexibility.
In addition to acting as a catalyst to maintain the bit between Dunne’s teeth in that position, bringing in Ashby to challenge Dunne for the starting right-back spot would increase the QPR boss’s chances of fitting round pegs into round holes when injuries and suspensions inevitably occur.
Ashby could play a starting role in Cifuentes’ lineup this season and should be considered a wise insurance policy because the R’s are relatively thin on the ground outside of their main back four players. GET MORE NEWS HERE
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