QPR Loan Real Madrid Defender to Stop Leaking Goals - Report

A number of reports suggest Queens Park Rangers have agreed a season-long loan for Real Madrid's Ricardo Carvalho. The 34 year old Portuguese centre back will join former Chelsea team mate and compatriot Jose Bosingwa at Loftus Road for the 2012/13 Premier League season, providing he passes his medical.

Carvalho transferred to the Spanish champions in a surprise £6.7m move from the Blues in 2010, to reunite with former manager Jose Mourinho. The pair had previously worked together at FC Porto as well. The veteran defender was in superb form in his first season for the Spanish club, forging a strong partnership with another compatriot, Pepe, in the centre of defence. However, an injury to his lower back severely curtailed his ability to play and the outstanding form of both Pepe and Spanish international Sergio Ramos, who teamed up in his absence, has left him firmly on the sidelines since.

The former Premier League, Spanish League and Champions League-winning defender will be expected to use his experience to tighten up the Hoops' leaky defence, which saw them concede five goals, at home, to Swansea City on the opening day of the new season.

Since that defeat, Mark Hughes seems to have prioritised defensive reinforcements, with reports the former Manchester City boss has submitted a £9m bid for Spurs' centre back Michael Dawson doing the rounds.

Incidentally, QPR and Chelsea are scheduled to play at Loftus Road on 15 September.

QPR Fans the Best

Meanwhile, QPR summer signing Junior Hoillet has praised his new club's fans, despite the home side being at the wrong end of that defeat to the Swans.

"The fans were incredible at Loftus Road last weekend despite the result. I'd heard a lot about them before I signed and the atmosphere certainly lived up to that. Obviously it was a shame about the circumstances of the game, but now it's up to us to respond. The fans deserved more and we'll be aiming to get three points for them this weekend," the former Blackburn star told the club's official Web site.

The Hoops will now travel to Carrow Road to face a similarly humbled Norwich City (they lost their opening game by the same score of 0-5, to Fulham) on 25 August.