QPR look set to complete the loan signing of Wolves defender Dion Sanderson, as per a report from West London Sport.
Sanderson, 22, is poised to join QPR on loan for the remainder of the 2021/22 Championship season.
The Englishman impressed on loan at Sunderland last season and on loan at Birmingham City in the first half of this campaign.
But he was recalled by parent club Wolves earlier this month and he’s since featured on the bench twice for Bruno Lage’s side.
Now though, Sanderson looks set to seal this third loan exit from the club, and it looks like QPR will beat a number of Championship clubs to the signing.
So where will Sanderson fit in QPR’s starting XI?
Mark Warburton was keen to bring in a centre-half this month. Sanderson can also play at right-back and so he may be utilised across the back-line should Warburton need options on the right, but expect Sanderson to predominantly play in the middle.
The likes of Jordy De Wijs have struggled with injury this season. It’s left Rob Dickie, Jimmy Dunne and Yoann Barbet as Warburton’s three main centre-backs, and all have impressed.
But should one of them become injured then it would leave QPR slightly vulnerable at the back – that’s where Sanderson comes in.
Given how Dickie, Dunne and Barbet have formed a strong partnership this season, it’s difficult to see Sanderson starting for the R’s every week.
Warburton plays a back-five with three centre-backs. Dickie plays on the right of those and Dunne down the middle, with either position ideal for Sanderson.
Dickie has played in every Championship fixtures for QPR this season and so he could be rotated with Sanderson in the second half of the campaign – Barbet is another who has played in every game, and so we could see Dunne shifted out to the left of the three and Sanderson potentially deployed down the middle.
Sanderson definitely gives Warburton another solid option at the back. With the line up relatively in place right now though, Sanderson may well be used in a rotational role.
