Report: QPR plan Derby County raid for Chris Martin and Alex Pearce

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Derby County duo Chris Martin and Alex Pearce are in demand with former Rams boss Steve McClaren hoping for a reunuion at Queens Park Rangers.

New Queens Park Rangers manager Steve McClaren is keen to raid his former club Derby County.

The Telegraph stated back in May that McClaren wanted to reunite with his one-time Rams goal-machine Chris Martin, who enjoyed the most prolific spell of his career under the former England manager at Pride Park.

Martin has fallen down the pecking order at Derby since McClaren was sacked for a second time in the spring of 2017, however. So it is no surprise that the powerful hitman is high on QPR’s summer wishlist.

But West London Sport claims that Martin isn’t the only one of McClaren’s former Derby favourites that QPR hope to sign. It is understood that Rangers have made enquiries about a number of possible signings with centre-back Alex Pearce among them.

QPR certainly need defenders after the departures of Nedum Onuoha and the versatile Jack Robinson and Pearce would fit the bill. The 29-year-old has tonnes of Championship experience and featured regularly under McClaren during the 2016/17 season.

Pearce struggled for game-time under Gary Rowett, however. He made just five Championship starts in 2017/18 with Curtis Davies and Richard Keogh firmly established as Derby’s first-choice centre-back pairing.

And McClaren’s hopes of luring Pearce to QPR will depend on his one-time England midfielder Frank Lampard, the new Derby manager.