Hoop Dreams - QPR FC

Paul Hart is set to make two attacking additions to his team in the next few days when a pair of unwanted strikers from Premiership side Hull City are likely to arrive on loan.

This afternoon it's been revealed that the club are very close to signing Caleb Folan and Daniel Cousin from the Tigers in a sign that Hart sees the club's current crop of strikers as insufficient for his ambitions.

27-year old Folan (pictured above) is deemed surplus to requirements at Hull and was already loaned to Middlesbrough this season where injuries prevented him from making more than a solitary appearance. Now returned to fitness, his agent told Sky Sports (http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_5840548,00.html) that a deal has been done between the two clubs.

"Hull have advised us they are happy to loan out Caleb," said Hayden Evans.

"Just a few details need to be finalised."

Folan has reportedly been a target of QPR for some time, with two previous managers attempting to buy the player, Paulo Sousa in the last January transfer window and Iain Dowie in October 2008. On the latter occasion Hull manager Phil Brown rebuffed the approach in the strongest possible terms.

"They're interested in a quality striker which he is.

"But he's a quality Premier League striker and an international. Caleb has been a definite threat for us.

"Unless they were talking absolutely ridiculous money we are not a selling club."
 
In that light, his arrival on loan could be seen as a significant coup for Hart but Brown's valuation of the player hasn't been matched by displays on the pitch in recent months. He was largely consigned to a supporting role during Hull's troubled second half of last season, scoring just once in 15 league appearances. He joined the club for £1 million from Wigan Athletic in August 2007.
 
 
Cousin (pictured above) has also found himself out of favour at the KC stadium this season with just three appearances and was linked with loan moves to Burnley and Cardiff City. Prior to that he had a marginally more successful first season with Hull, which included scoring the winning goal at Arsenal with six in total for the season.
 
Born in Gabon, whom he captains and will represent in the forthcoming African Cup of Nations, he started his career in France with spells at Le Mans and Lens before spending just over a season with Glasgow Rangers.
 
The group stage of the African Cup of Nations doesn't finish until 21st January with the final on 31st so should the deal go through and depending on Gabon's progress, the player is unlikely to be available to Paul Hart until the Hoops face Scunthorpe at the end of this month.
 
In a busy couple of days for QPR, they also brought in goalkeeper Carl Ikeme from Wolves on a one month loan after recent loanee keeper Rhys Taylor returned to Chelsea.