RANGERS EYE BROOMES

QUEENS PARK RANGERS are ready to pip Oldham to the loan signing of highly-rated Blackburn defender Marlon Broomes, although the confusion concerning Lucien Mettomo`s move to Ewood Park may delay the deal.

Broomes started the season in the first team under Graeme Souness but the loan arrival of Henning Berg from Manchester United, along with the attempts to sign Mettomo, appear to have indicated that he will struggle to get back into the side.

However, the fact that the St Etienne defender`s move is now shrouded in doubt, after he contradicted the Rovers` claims that he watched the match against Portsmouth and returned to France amidst reports that he has failed a medical, could mean that England Under-21 international Broomes is still required in Lancashire.

Oldham have also been linked with a loan bid for the 22-year-old, who has been farmed out to Swindon in the past, but the prospect of staying in Division One and helping to ease Gerry Francis` injury crisis at Loftus Road is probably a more attractive proposition for the player.

It will be interesting to note any developments ahead of the weekend and it may well transpire that Francis has to look elsewhere for fresh blood.