HIGHLY-RATED prospect Kyle Walker looks set to spend the second half of the season in the Premier League as he prepares to swap QPR for Aston Villa.

The 20-year-old right-back has been on loan with Neil Warnock’s Rangers since the end of September, and played every game for the Hoops during his spell at Loftus Road, making 20 appearances and leaving the Rs top of the Championship at the turn of the year.

Harry Redknapp was in north-west London on Monday to see Walker and another emerging starlet, Bristol City loanee Steven Caulker, in action.

And, having earned rave reviews during his spell with QPR, Walker is now set for a promotion to the Premier League, and a loan spell with Gerard Houllier’s Villa.

Walker’s QPR team-mate Clint Hill thinks the young defender is ready to make an impact in the top flight.

“When you look at Kyle’s performances for us, you feel he could definitely make the step up and I’m sure he’ll be a force to be reckoned with in the Premier League,” he said.

“He’s an amazing talent and I could tell that the first time I played against him, when he was at Sheffield United and I was with Palace. He looked very strong and comfortable on the ball.

“The move to QPR has been good for him, giving him the platform to play games and show what he can do. He can go as far as he wants to.”

Nineteen-year-old winger Andros Townsend is also likely to head out on loan again in the coming days, having returned prematurely from Roy Keane’s Ipswich.

Meanwhile, Spurs hope to welcome their new centre-back, South Africa international Bongani Khumalo, to their Spurs Lodge training ground in the coming days after he finally secured his visa.

The 23-year-old’s move from Supersport United was agreed back in October and the club’s manager, Glyn Binkin, was expecting the defender to fly to London on Wednesday.