Newcastle United youngster Stan Flaherty has departed the North-East to join Queens Park Rangers. The 20-year-old has not featured this season since pre-season when the forward played in a clutch of friendly games for the second string.
However, he only made the bench once for the Under-23 side in the EFL Trophy at Harrogate and has since drifted away from the reserve team picture. Sources in London are suggesting the youngster - who United once had high hopes for - was allowed to leave Newcastle's Little Benton training base.
Flaherty can play as a winger or through the middle and scored seven goals and made three assists in his first season for Newcastle. He will now try his luck at QPR in West London after initially joining the black and whites after spells with Arsenal and West Ham United.
Flaherty has been pencilled in for a debut for QPR's reserve side at Millwall on Tuesday. Newcastle are expected to announce a clutch of contracts and departures from the second string later this year.
Newcastle signed Flaherty in 2020 but after two years on Tyneside, he returns to the capital. Once described as a Football Manager whizzkid, Flaherty must now prove his worth for QPR's Under-23s.
Describing himself as a player, Flaherty said two years ago: "I’m naturally a playmaking attacking midfielder. "I was first spotted by Arsenal at around eight years of age playing for my Sunday side, but I’d already been approached by Watford.
"I was there for a couple of seasons but the Arsenal scout kept in touch. And I decided to join the Gunners as an under-11."
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