Leicester City eye QPR transfer raid
A crucial update has broken out from Loftus Road
For QPR supporters this term, sources of excitement have arrived at a real premium.
The 4-0 opening day defeat at the hands of Watford was as bruising as it was telling of the uphill battle that Gareth Ainsworth faces if he is to guide this team to survival for a second consecutive season, having unfashionably scraped across the line to stay afloat at the back-end of the previous campaign.
And though they have now made five signings in the form of Paul Smyth, Asmir Begovic, Morgan Fox, Jack Colback and Steve Cook, it is hard to escape the feeling that the Hoops still require much more in order to stave off the all-too-real threat of relegation to League One this year.
Granted, they were resourceful over the weekend as they claimed a rather surprising 2-1 victory away at Cardiff City in a performance that generated rare optimism among fans while drowning out some of the feel-good factor across the border in South Wales, but the picture remains unconvincing nonetheless.
However, among of the few scarce vestiges of positivity at Loftus Road is the dual mastery of Ilias Chair and Chris Willock, both of whom encapsulate footballing craft that, it must be said, often looks out of place for all the right reasons in QPR’s side.
For some time now, there has been an elephant in the room when it comes to the duo and their futures in West London amid plenty of speculation, and a fresh update has recently come to light on both Chair and Willock.
Leicester City retain transfer interest in QPR’s Ilias Chair
As per journalist Darren Witcoop on Twitter, Leicester are maintaining their courtship of Chair ahead of the transfer deadline later this month.
And, before the window slams shut, they are anticipated to amplify that interest as they seek to find a James Maddison replacement.
Football Insider had reported all the way back in May that Chair was envisaged at the King Power Stadium as someone capable of filling Maddison’s void, with the playmaker eventually going on to join Tottenham Hotspur.
There had been radio silence pertaining to additional updates since, casting doubt upon whether the Foxes were still keen, although that interest now looks very much intact and QPR will be sweating over the saga in the remaining weeks.
QPR Chris Willock transfer stance revealed
Witcoop has also disclosed that, instead of parting with Chair, QPR would much prefer to cash in on Willock instead, who also holds value in the transfer market.
Willock joined the club in October 2020 from Portugese giants Benfica and made a lasting impression the following season by returning seven strikes and 11 assists in the league, although inconsistency and injuries last time out caused a drop-off of sorts.
As per The Evening Standard, the winger had been courted by Middlesbrough earlier on in the window as part of a double-swoop involving Seny Dieng too, who ended up moving to the Riverside Stadium on his own.
That said, though, Middlesbrough’s goalless affairs in their opening two Championship fixtures will have no doubt put Carrick on red alert as their goalscoring and creative shortcomings have been illuminated thus far, meaning that it would come as little surprise to see them rekindle their interest.