QPR,Portsmouth and Derby County in transfer chase for Celtic man

According to Alan Nixon of The Sun, Marti Cifuentes’ QPR are leading the race for the Republic of Ireland under-21 international, with promoted duo Portsmouth and Derby also among his suitors.

Lawal’s imminent return to his parent club Celtic is expected to generate a great deal of interest in the gifted young player this summer.

Four different managers have come and gone from Highbury Stadium over the turbulent season. Charlie Adam is the current manager hoping to take the Lancashire team back to League One in 2024–2025.

Despite all the hardships, Lawal is one man who has truly impressed.

The young player’s potential is highly anticipated by Hoops supporters, since he joined Celtic from Watford in 2021.

His progress has undoubtedly benefited much from his time spent on the Fylde coast this year. He has played a variety of positions, including right back, center back, and central midfield, where he has been a regular under Adam.

Despite being a more defensive-minded player, Lawal has excelled with both his aerial skills and his propensity of scoring crucial goals, finding the back of the net six times in a league campaign when he has accrued 3,544 minutes across 42 appearances.

Having spent the most of the second half of the season in midfield, he is ranked in the top 15% of League One players for aerial battles won and duels won, according to FotMob. Similarly, he ranks in the top 25% of engine room operators for both his accurate long ball shooting and dribbling skills.

Lawal is statistically exceptional, and his current manager Charlie Adam has heaped praise on him. He recently stated, “There are not many midfielders like that in the Championship in England, let alone League One.”

After QPR confirmed their place in the 2024/25 Championship with a 4-0 victory over promotion-chasing Leeds United on Friday night, the West London club can begin planning for next season.

With statistics and wide appraisal of Lawal, it is no surprise then that Cifuentes’ side are desperate to bring him to Loftus Road. With Celtic seeing a future for the 20-year-old, a loan move is believed to be the most likely outcome next summer.

However, the freshly promoted teams from Derby and Portsmouth, who are also interested in the midfield player, should worry R’s supporters. The young Irish player might end up being a great addition for either team, as they both aim to secure their spots in the Championship the next season.

It is likely that several clubs will express interest in Lawal and his parent club, which will allow the young player to choose which teams he wants to play for.

The most interested party at the moment is QPR. The versatile young player could gain a lot of experience playing with either Steve Cook in the middle of defense or Sam Field in midfield for a year.

Celtic will believe that Lawal will undoubtedly make an impression and prove that he is a future star for them wherever he goes.