With Asmir Begovic’s contract set to expire at QPR later this month, it remains to be seen where the veteran goalkeeper will be playing football next season.
The 36-year-old signed a one-year deal at Loftus Road last summer, but he has attracted interest from Premier League sides West Ham and Newcastle United, along with an unnamed side from Saudi Arabia, according to West London Sport.
However, Marti Cifuentes’ side are in talks with the former Bosnian international about a new deal, and despite his age, Begovic isn’t short of options this summer.
QPR urged to move on from Asmir Begovic this summer
Despite helping to keep the club in the Championship, FLW’s QPR fan pundit, Louis Moir, doesn’t want Asmir Begovic to be the club’s first choice goalkeeper next season, and believes that the Bosnian is weighing up his options at this stage in his career.
Speaking to Football League World, Louis said: “I think the longer it goes on with Begovic, you could potentially see him sign a new deal, which I don’t want to happen.
“Ideally, I don’t want him as our number one again next season, but obviously, with interest circling from clubs like West Ham and Newcastle, and I think clubs in Saudi Arabia, at his age, he’s probably weighing up his options.
“With his age, does he go for more money or does he want to stay at play every week? It depends on what he wants to do now as he heads into the last year or so of his career.
“I don’t want him here again, but the longer it goes on you can see it happening. But hopefully, with the interest from bigger clubs, he will leave, and they’ll offer him more money, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes, and I would be slightly surprised if he did stay.
“He’s not been as bad as some fans have made out. Obviously, he kept us in games towards the end of last season and pulled off some big saves, but he’s just not consistent enough and, at his age, we’ve got to be looking at someone a bit younger, and who could fit into the system a bit more so, hopefully he does move on.
Asmir Begovic may not want to be a back-up goalkeeper
Should Asmir Begovic depart for Newcastle United or West Ham, he would not be first choice and would certainly struggle for minutes.
At 36, he may be okay with that, as many other goalkeepers are, but the fact he joined QPR last summer suggests that he feels as if he’s still got plenty to give as a starting goalkeeper.
With a number of options on the table, Begovic can take time to weigh up the best move for him at this stage of his career.
The Bosnian was a divisive figure at Loftus Road last season, and despite being the club’s first choice and wearing the captain’s armband, many felt as if he wasn’t good enough.
