For those QPR fans who don’t know him, who is Sebastian Polter?

He is a former German Under-21 international striker who for the past season has been playing at Union Berlin where he scored a goal every other game in the second tier of German football. He’s big, tall and strong and a very tidy finisher in the box. Considering QPR lost Bobby Zamora – although he is not a like for like replacement – it is probably a shrewd signing.

He’s 6’ 4” – you compare him to Zamora - are you saying he’s a target man?

It’s unfair to label him as that. Part of the reason Thomas Tuchel, who went on to be Dortmund boss, took him to Mainz two-years ago is because of his pace. He has that ability to play in different systems. It is definitely not a case of lumping it up to him and getting him to hold it up – he can offer something in a couple of systems.

So why has he decided to leave FSV Mainz 05 then?

It didn’t work out for him at Mainz as he didn’t get as much game time as he wanted. Clearly he has the potential and at QPR maybe it is time that he starts to fulfill that.

He was part of a rather underachieving Under-21 side at the European Championships in 2013 but he was scoring a lot and that is why Tuchel took the risk to bring him in at Mainz. The problem was that they played with one up front and that was Shinji Okazaki who scores goals for fun so there was no place for him in the team.

I remember covering the Under-21s in 2013 when Sebastian was at Wolfsburg and he said he wanted guaranteed first team football playing every week. That is clearly very important to him and that’s what he will be hoping to get at QPR.

How does the second tier of German football compare with the Championship?

There are big similarities between German and English football. I think at QPR he will have to step it up compared to what he was used to at Union Berlin. The playing style and standard of clubs involved is pretty similar. I think deep down he knows that moving to QPR from Union Berlin – although he has been on loan from Mainz in the Bundesliga – that compared to last season this is going to be a step up for him.

Finally, how will he adapt to the English game do you believe?

It is always an unknown. You can look at the statistics and the amount of goals someone scores but you never know how someone will do. However, given his playing style I think he could do very well. When you consider the fee for him that has been talked about and the value you are getting compared to an equivalent player in England then it looks like a very good deal.

Germans have generally done well when they’ve come over. Even players who have played in the Bundesliga have – look at Dimitar Berbatov when he first came here and Edin Džeko also has been a consistent player for Manchester City.

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