September 19, 2024
QPR successfully complete deal for Multi-Million Talented Duo

Queens Park Rangers have signed attacking midfielders Koki Saito and Karamoko Dembele on season-long loans.

Former Celtic and England youth player Dembele, 21, joins from French side Brest.

He made his Celtic debut aged 16 and played for their under-20 side aged just 13.

Koki Saito | Skills & Goals • Sparta Rotterdam 2024 •

Dembele spent last season on loan at League One side Blackpool where he scored nine goals in 47 games and provided 14 assists.

Japan youth international Saito, 23, joins from Belgian side Lommel having spent the past two years on loan at Dutch top-flight club Sparta Rotterdam.

He was part of the Japan Under-23 side that reached the quarter-finals at the Olympic Games.

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“This is a great platform for me to progress in my career,” Dembele told the QPR website.

Both players deals are subject to international clearance while Saito is also awaiting a work permit.

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Cifuentes hopeful QPR will make more signings

QPR boss Marti Cifuentes is confident he will be able to bolster his squad further before the transfer window closes on August 30.

Rangers completed the signings of Koki Saito and Karamoko Dembele on Tuesday following the arrivals of the likes of Jonathan Varane, Zan Celar, Liam Morrison and Hevverton Santos, but Cifuentes said he hopes the club can add some further reinforcements in the next fortnight.

Cifuentes said: “I hope so, but we know about the challenges we have got financially and how difficult the market is at this time, but the club have been working well and these new two additions show we are getting in the kind of players we needed.

“Now it is time to see if they can perform to the level we want them to, but hopefully we can get something else.”

Dembele travelled with the squad to Cambridge but was not included on the bench but should be involved in the match at Sheffield United on Saturday.

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Japan Under-23 international Saito is still waiting for a work permit to be granted before he can play, but Cifuentes is excited by what the pair can bring to his side.

He said: “I am happy about them joining us, hopefully they can give us a bit more capacity in one-on-one situations and some more quality in the final third.

“They are talented but young and will need some time to adapt. ‘Kara’ knows English football and hopefully his adaptation will be easy, but it is his first taste of Championship football.

“Koki has been playing at a good level in the (Dutch) Eredevisie, which is a good league, but English football is a different challenge. These are both quality players but they will need time.”

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