QPR close in on Nottingham Forest transfer agreement | OneFootball

Queens Park Rangers are having somewhat of a centre-back crisis right now, but they look set to complete a move that would temporarily solve some of their issues.

After losing out on the likes of Jack Whatmough and Aden Flint this summer, who have headed to Preston North End and Mansfield Town respectively, the Hoops now look poised to secure a deal for experienced Nottingham Forest defender Steve Cook.

According to The Telegraph's Mike McGrath, QPR are closing in on a deal to land the 32-year-old and are 'pushing' for a medical to be done later on on Wednesday.

And it comes at a time where head coach Gareth Ainsworth is desperate for new centre-backs on a limited budget, with both Jake Clarke-Salter and Jimmy Dunne sidelined through injury with the latter being stretchered off in pre-season against Oxford United.

Ainsworth had to play 22-year-old Joe Gubbins - who had played just three senior matches for the club before the start of the season - and new left-back signing Morgan Fox together as a pairing against Watford on the opening day of the 2023-24 campaign.

The duo had a torrid time as four first-half goals from the Hornets secured a 4-0 win, and that has perhaps led to the QPR hierarchy finally pushing through a deal for a new defender.

It is not clear as to whether the R's will strike a permanent or loan agreement for Cook, but he looks set for a move to West London either way.

Who is Steve Cook?

Cook has plenty of experience at both Premier League level and also in the Championship, racking up 467 senior career appearances so far.

The centre-back has spent most of his playing career at AFC Bournemouth, joining the Cherries on loan during the 2011-12 season when they were in League One before signing on a permanent basis not long after.

Cook played 388 times for Bournemouth, with 168 of those outings coming in the top flight of English football, which included a 2016-17 season where he was ever-present.

He moved on to Nottingham Forest midway through the 2021-22 season after spending much of the first half of the campaign out injured at Dean Court, and he helped Steve Cooper's side to get over the line in the play-offs to reach the Premier League once more.

After regularly starting in the first part of 2022-23 though he became a bench player and then was injured for months with a foot problem - it now looks as though Cook has played his last match for the Tricky Trees with his contract expiring next year.

A Championship promotion winner in 2015 and also in 2022 with Forest, Cook will bring top-level experience to the QPR backline and more importantly some depth.

Will QPR sign another defender alongside Steve Cook?

If Dunne is out for a while then the R's could do with adding another face alongside Cook - providing he passes his medical.

QPR are said to have wanted Wycombe Wanderers defender Chris Forino all summer, with Ainsworth looking to re-unite with a player he gave a chance to with the Chairboys in League One.

The West Londoners are yet to agree a fee for the 23-year-old though, so for now it looks as though Cook will be the only new addition ahead of their next Championship fixture this weekend against Cardiff City unless something drastically changes.