'You want love & care' - Man Utd defender Laird highlights what makes 'winning changing rooms' after QPR loan switch

Ethan Laird is heading out of Manchester United again, with a season-long loan agreement taking him to Queens Park Rangers, and the highly-rated defender has made a point of highlighting what “winning changing rooms” require when bidding farewell to Old Trafford. There is not much positivity to be found in the Red Devils’ camp at present, with back-to-back defeats to open the 2022-23 Premier League campaign seeing early pressure piled onto new boss Erik ten Hag.

Laird is escaping that turmoil in Manchester by making his way to west London and believes he will be linking up with a squad at Loftus Road that is ready to deliver on potential – something that his parent club are still working on.

Is Laird happy to be leaving Man Utd?

The 21-year-old right-back has told QPR’s official website when asked what is required to be a success, having graduated out of a famed academy system at United: “You want love and care.

“Winning changing rooms need to have a real care for the players and I feel like on the pitch you will get the best from your players if they know they are going to be cared for.

“Another thing I look for is creativity – and it is in abundance here!”

Why has Laird left Man Utd?

The promising full-back has taken in two competitive appearances for United to date, with both of those outings coming in the Europa League during the 2019-20 campaign.

He has spent time on loan at MK Dons, Swansea and Bournemouth in recent years, helping the latter to secure promotion to the Premier League last season, and believes another stint away from Old Trafford will serve his development well.

Laird added on the decision to make another push for the exits in Manchester: “Sometimes you don’t want to come out of your comfort zone but you only become your best self when you do.

“You only find out what you are really like when you play football. Coming up against 6’5 players, coming up against beasts, you find ways to adapt and I feel like I have adapted well wherever I have gone and I am ready to kick on now.”