QPR confirm loan transfer of Manchester United youngster Ethan Laird with defender, 21, set for season at Loftus Road
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QPR have confirmed Manchester United youngster Ethan Laird has joined the club on loan.
The 21-year-old defender will spend the season at Loftus Road.
Laird will benefit from playing regular football in the Championship and could make his debut in tomorrow's home game against Blackpool.
The right-back spent the second half of last season on loan at Bournemouth.
He has also had spells with MK Dons and Swansea.
Laird played twice for United during the club's pre-season tour to Thailand and Australia, as well as in the home friendly against Rayo Vallecano.
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Speaking after joining the R's, Laird revealed he "cannot wait to get started" in West London.
He told the club's official website: "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."
Laird had provisionally agreed to join Watford on a season-long loan last month.
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But talks collapsed when the Hornets signed Mario Gaspar, with Laird now linking up with the R's.
He continued: "Another thing I look for is creativity – and it is in abundance here!
"I like to play with confidence and be exciting, and I feel I have the freedom to do that here.
"Sometimes you don’t want to come out of your comfort zone but you only become your best self when you do.
"You only find out what you are really like when you play football. Coming up against 6’5 players, coming up against beasts, you find ways to adapt and I feel like I have adapted well wherever I have gone and I am ready to kick on now."
Meanwhile QPR boss Michael Beale said Laird was a player R's fans can be "excited" about seeing in action.
He said: "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."
Laird's involvement with United's first-team in pre-season meant it took longer than first anticipated to get the deal done.
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He joins QPR with the club 10th in the Championship, having won one, drawn one and lost one of their three games so far this season.
Sunday's 2-2 draw with Sunderland saw goalkeeper Seny Dieng score a dramatic stoppage time goal to salvage a point from the Stadium of Light.