Manchester United have today confirmed that Ethan Laird has joined QPR on loan for the season ahead. Having spent last season on loan in the Championship, playing for Swansea and Bournemouth, he had a few options for the campaign ahead but told the QPR website they had made him feel the most wanted.
It feels brilliant and I am delighted to get it over the line. I can’t wait to get started. You want love and care. Winning changing rooms need to have a real care for the players and I feel like on the pitch you will get the best from your players if they know they are going to be cared for. Another thing I look for is creativity – and it is in abundance here!
The fans and ourselves should believe we can do something this season. For me personally, I just want to kick on and I feel I am at the perfect place to do that now.
Michael Beale, who had been Steven Gerrard’s assistant at Aston Villa, was appointed as QPR manager at the end of last season. He has spoken about what attracted him to bringing Laird to the club.
Obviously it is nice to take a boy from Manchester United and for them to trust us with one of their best young players in terms of developing him onwards and upwards. He has done really well in the Championship already and I think he is someone we can be really excited about.
Ethan has been away with United’s first-team for pre-season which is why it has taken a bit of time and a bit of patience to get this over the line. It was important we waited for the right one who gives us a lot of options in terms of as a full-back, a wing-back and even higher up the pitch if needed.
I like the fullbacks to be an addition to our attack, and he provides that. He is very aggressive in terms of one-v-one attacking and he is capable of providing assists as well as goals. He is a young player who will fit in well to our changing room. We are delighted to have him.
