Joe Lumley signed a new three-year deal with Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday.
Queens Park Rangers goalkeeper Joe Lumley has extended his stay with the club until the summer of 2021 after agreeing terms on a new three-year deal.
The 23-year-old signed on the dotted line on Tuesday and QPR boss Steve McClaren will now have to decide who fills the void left by Alex Smithies, who joined Premier League new boys Cardiff City earlier this window.
If QPR’s friendlies are anything to go by, it would appear that Lumley will be first choice under McClaren via the fact he had been assigned the No.1 jersey. However, the squad numbers have not been officially confirmed so this isn’t necessarily going to be true.
From McClaren’s perspective, he has a dilemma in the sense that Matt Ingram will be jostling for the gloves at Loftus Road and the 24-year-old does have more experience than Lumley.
Ingram has enjoyed two loan spells at Wycombe Wanderers after initially breaking through to the first-team at Adams Park before QPR snapped him up in 2016.
The 6’3″ shot stopper was also voted the highest ranked ‘keeper in League Two throughout 2014/15 season so it is fair to say that Ingram has a lot of potential and promise.
Nonetheless, it will prove a testing time for McClaren as either Ingram or Lumley will have a strong case to replace Smithies next season. Granted, a new three-year deal does hint that QPR have a lot of faith in Lumley but the fact Ingram is more experienced lean’s the decision his way.
It is a tough one for the former England boss to call but the two ‘keepers will need to do everything they can in pre-season to show they deserve the No.1 jersey for the long haul.
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