QPR set to seal transfer agreement for 25-year-old

Championship outfit Queens Park Rangers are set to offload full-back Niko Hamalainen on a loan deal to Brazilian side Botafogo until the end of the season, as per O Globo.

The 25-year-old has failed to make a single competitive appearance for the R’s last term, spending much of his spell at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium elsewhere as he looks to force his way into Mark Warburton’s thoughts.

But with the likes of Lee Wallace and Sam McCallum both available as options on the left-hand side for the promotion chasers, his first-team opportunities have been limited in the English capital.

He will want to win more regular first-team football, especially as he looks to become an integral part of Finland’s national side, making 12 senior appearances already but inevitably wanting more international experience under his belt.

This likely quest to play more regularly and the fact QPR aren’t utilising him at this stage has potentially led to this deal being negotiated, with the Brazilian side’s owner and their boss Luis Castro thought to be keen on getting this deal over the line.

His deal in west London doesn’t expire until 2024 though, so it remains to be seen whether the second-tier outfit will offload him permanently when the summer comes around.

The Verdict:

At this stage, it would make sense for both sides to sever ties on a longer-term basis but as long as the Finn is getting more first-team football under his belt and is away from the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, this is a deal the English club are probably happy to negotiate.

It may even allow Hamalainen to put himself in the shop window ahead of a permanent move away in the summer, something that can only benefit the R’s with Warburton unlikely to have utilised