The defender has signed a three-year deal with the Loftus Road club after reluctantly leaving Newcastle United in search of first-team football.

Keegan had been keen to keep Ramage, but the 24-year-old felt, after losing almost a season of his career through injury, that he needed to be playing week in, week out at this stage of his career.

And Keegan is hoping whoever he brings to St James's Park this summer will have as much heart as Ramage, who was given a brief appearance by the 57-year-old in Sunday's final game of the season against Everton at Goodison Park.

It was an emotional farewell for Ramage, who had not featured since tearing his cruciate ligament away to Middlesbrough in August.

Keegan said: "This is a great club, and wherever Peter Ramage goes, it won't be to a club as big as this.

"He knows that, but it will be to a club where he plays every week.

"He's got to go and play regular football. He's not 16, 17 or 18 any more, he's 24.

"But I'd like to take his heart, and put it in the dressing room at Newcastle. The one thing he has got is a massive heart."

Academy product Ramage – handed his debut by Graeme Souness four seasons ago – went on to make 69 appearances for Newcastle.

And he is now expected to be joined at QPR by Iain Dowie, set to be named the club's new manager.

Dowie tried to sign Ramage during his spell at Coventry City.