Despite interest from a number of Championship clubs, Jack Colback is heading to Loftus Road
Despite being 33 years of age now, Jack Colback has had no shortage of admirers this summer in the hunt for a new club.
The midfielder’s time at Nongtiham Forest came to an end when his contract expired at the City Ground at the end of June, having spent the last three years as a permanent Tricky Trees player.
With all his experience and guile, Colback was instrumental in Forest’s 2021-22 promotion-winning campaign as he played not only at the heart of midfield but also as a left-back and wing-back during their journey back to the Premier League.
Naturally though with so many signings last season, he slipped down Steve Cooper’s list of choices and after 16 appearances in all competitions, Colback has been let go of.
Because of his form for Forest two seasons ago though, there has been no shortage of admirers when it comes to taking the midfielder on a free transfer this summer.
Alan Nixon reported on Patreon last week that three second tier clubs were monitoring Colback’s situation before potentially making a move, with Birmingham City, West Bromwich Albion and newly-promoted Ipswich Town being the trio in questi
However, another outfit has emerged through the back door and have seemingly swooped to land Colback’s services.
QPR set to sign Colback
Nixon has now reported that it is Queens Park Rangers who have agreed a deal to bring Colback into the club before the 2023-24 season starts this coming weekend, with Gareth Ainsworth’s side being the first to make a concrete approach for the left-footer.
And it appears that their willingness to strike a deal first has paid off as Colback is poised to sign on the dotted line later on Monday afternoon to officially become an R’s player for the new campaign, significantly strengthening Ainsworth’s hand in the middle of the park.
The Hoops mutually terminated the contract of experienced Norwegian midfielder Stefan Johansen earlier in the summer, leaving QPR’s midfield options looking slightly thin on the ground ahead of the new season.
And with the club struggling in general last season, Colback will add some experience and know-how to Ainsworth’s side that need to bounce back after a 2022-23 to forget.
QPR were meant to start the new season this coming weekend at home to Watford – but because of renevations to the pitch at Loftus Road they have got the match reversed to Vicarage Road.
That will be somewhat of a disadvantage for Ainsworth and his squad as they have to go to enemy territory on the opening day of the campaign instead, and Watford were the only team that the R’s beat at home last season under Ainsworth’s management.
The Hornets though are much-changed since that match in March though, with a new head coach in Valerien Ismael and a lot of players have departed since then, with a new-look squad in place in Hertfordshire.
In terms of Colback’s arrival, you’d expect that he would not be thrown in straight at the deep end on Saturday due to the fact he has not had a full pre-season with a club, but in time he could be a key part of the engine room at QPR.
