QPR boss Harry Redknapp continue to strengthen his first-team squad for the season ahead with the loan acquisition of Mauricio Isla from Italian champions Juventus. The Chilean is the fourth player to arrive at Loftus Road this summer and follows Rio Ferdinand, Steven Caulker and Jordan Mutch to the club as Redknapp looks to prevent another drop down into the Championship:
After confirming the season-long deal via the R’s official website, Redknapp proceeded to talk up the 26-year-old’s prospects for the season ahead and reckons Isla will be a key figure for the London club:
“He’s a top player and we’re delighted to have him here. He showed his quality in the World Cup for Chile and it’s a great loan signing for us. He’s a versatile player, he’s full of energy. I’m confident he’ll be a really big asset for us this season.”
Isla – who is believed to have turned down a number of offers to join up with QPR – was equally enthusiastic over the upcoming campaign:
“I am very happy to be here – this is the start of an exciting new adventure for me. Everybody knows that the Premier League is the greatest league in the world and the QPR proposal is very interesting and one I am very excited about. I hope this coming season is going to be great for both the club and myself. I will give 100 per-cent in every game to help QPR in the Premier League.”
The History
Isla spent eight years in the Universidad Catolica youth system in his native Chile from 1999-2007. Starting off as a forward, he was converted into a defender but failed to play a single match for the club – instead, his displays in the 2007 FIFA Under 20 World Cup persuaded Italian outfit Udinese to hand Isla a five-year contract.
Afforded his Serie A debut in December 2007, Isla’s pace and stamina down the right flank quickly cemented his role as a wing-back in a 3-5-2 formation. A slow start to his career in the Italian top-flight produced just one assists over 42 league appearances in his first couple of campaigns before Isla served up six goals and 18 assists in his final 85 league matches before Juventus came calling in June 2012.
Over his two seasons with the “Old Lady”, Isla failed to nail down a regular role. With Stephan Lichsteiner preferred on the right of Juventus’ 3-5-2, the Chilean was afforded just 18 league starts and 11 sub appearances and, over 47 matches in all competitions, chipped in with five assists.
On the international scene, Isla made his senior debut back in September 2007 and has proceeded to play 37 times for his country, including four appearances at Brazil 2014, and found the net on a couple of occasions.
The Prospects
It’s somewhat telling that a change in tactics over the summer has preceded the Chilean’s arrival. Redknapp utilised a 4-4-1-1 in the Championship last season, with the occasional switch to 4-4-2, but the R’s boss has rolled out a 3-4-1-2 in recent matches – given Isla’s familiarity with the system, the new boy should settle quicker in his new environment.
Whilst Isla is versatile enough to be fielded in defence and in the centre of the park, a role on the right of the four-man midfield looks tailor-made and immediately casts doubts over Danny Simpson’s game time for the season ahead. Classified as a defender across the Fantasy games, the Chilean looks poised to offer us an out of position option under Redknapp – earlier today, he was priced at 5.0 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), mirroring the cost of fellow new boy Steven Caulker, who netted five goals for Cardiff last time around.
With Rio Ferdinand at 4.5 and looking nailed on, though, many may baulk at a potential price of 5.0, bearing in mind Redknapp’s side mustered just 16 clean sheets in the Championship last term. Isla’s attacking potential could more than atone for that, though; if he can bring his Udinese form, there’s every reason to be optimistic over a player who affords the R’s plenty of top-level experience in the upcoming campaign.
The opening schedule hands the R’s home fixtures against Hull, Sunderland and Stoke in the first five Gameweeks and affords Redknapp the chance to make Loftus Road a fortress for the season ahead. With the likes of Ferdinand and Caulker bringing a much-needed quality to the back-three, Isla’s raids down the right could become a familiar for R’s fans this term and he gets off the mark early, has the quality to persuade many to get on board.
