Latest QPR news: Ex-Nottingham Forest man arrives, four transfer targets revealed, Gareth Ainsworth honest words | OneFootball

Queens Park Rangers are continuing their preparations for the new Championship season.

The R's will be hoping for a much improved campaign after narrowly avoiding relegation following a dismal second half of the season, with Gareth Ainsworth leading the club to safety after his appointment in February.

Ainsworth has been active in the market this summer, bringing in Ziyad Larkeche, Taylor Richards, Paul Smyth, Asmir Begovic and Morgan Fox and there is likely to be more to come before the closure of the transfer window.

The Hoops have lost goalkeeper Seny Dieng to Middlesbrough, while the likes of Rob Dickie, Stefan Johansen, Niko Hamalainen, Luke Amos, Leon Balogun, Chris Martin, Conor Masterson and Olamide Shodipo have also departed, but the club did tie star striker Lyndon Dykes down to a new contract.

QPR get their season underway with a trip to face Watford at Vicarage Road on Saturday and as the countdown to the new campaign continues, we rounded up all the latest news from Loftus Road.

Ex-Nottingham Forest man arrives

The R's have completed the signing of former Nottingham Forest midfielder Jack Colback.

QPR fought off competition from Championship rivals Birmingham City, Ipswich Town and West Bromwich Albion to land Colback's signature, with the 33-year-old putting pen-to-paper on a two-year deal in West London, with the option of a further year.

Colback, who has previously had spells with Sunderland and Newcastle United, helped Forest to promotion to the Premier League in the 2021-22 season, but his game time was limited in the top flight and he made just 16 appearances in all competitions last term.

He joins the Hoops on a free transfer after his departure from the City Ground earlier this summer and he expressed his delight at the move.

Colback told the club's official website. "It will be nice to get the training kit on and get out there with the lads.

"I’m excited to be part of what the manager wants to do here. It was an easy decision."

Who is on QPR's list of transfer targets this summer?

Defensive reinforcements are a priority for Ainsworth after the departures of Dickie and Balogun, while Jake Clarke-Salter is currently sidelined and Jimmy Dunne was stretchered off with a shoulder injury in the 5-0 pre-season friendly defeat at Oxford United on Saturday, leaving the R's short of options at the back.

According to journalist Darren Witcoop, Wycombe Wanderers' Chris Forino, Nottingham Forest's Steve Cook and free agents Jack Whatmough and Aden Flint are all under consideration.

Ainsworth worked with Forino during his time at Adams Park, with the centre-back establishing himself in the first-team under the 50-year-old, but the Chairboys are reportedly reluctant to allow him to depart.

Cook played an integral role in Forest's promotion to the Premier League, but he fell out of favour last season, making just 14 appearances in all competitions, while Whatmough is a free agent after terminating his deal with League One side Wigan Athletic because of contractual breaches by the club's previous owners.

Flint won promotion to the Championship with Sheffield Wednesday after joining the Owls on loan in January and he is also available after his release by Stoke City.

Ainsworth makes admission

After his side's heavy friendly defeat at the Kassam Stadium, Ainsworth criticised his players for their performance and admitted that they are "up against it" ahead of the new Championship season.

"Everyone knows we’re up against it," Ainsworth told the club's official website. "I’m glad we’ve had a kick up the backside on the final day of pre-season. We’ve got to make sure this is totally reversed next week.

"It wasn’t good enough going forward or in defence and I’m going to make sure the boys will be firing next week."