Things haven’t been going well for Gareth Ainsworth at Loftus Road. Since his appointment as QPR manager in February, he has faced numerous challenges. Even though he narrowly steered the team clear of Championship relegation in the final months of the last season after returning from Wycombe, his struggles have persisted into the current campaign. QPR currently sits in 22nd place in the early Championship standings, with just eight points from 11 games. Ainsworth has only managed to win five out of the 25 games he’s been in charge of at QPR.
To make matters worse, several other teams like Blackburn, Coventry, and Sunderland have outperformed QPR at their home ground, Loftus Road, since Ainsworth took over. As a result, pressure is mounting on Ainsworth, with some of the club’s supporters calling for his dismissal.
The latest transfer rumors linking Manchester City to former QPR player Ebereche Eze could add to Ainsworth’s troubles. Eze left QPR for Crystal Palace in the summer of 2020 and has since excelled in the Premier League, even earning his first senior international caps for England. During the summer transfer window, Manchester City expressed interest in signing the 25-year-old winger.
Although a deal didn’t materialize before the transfer market closed in early September, the latest reports suggest that City remains interested in Eze ahead of the January transfer window. This development could have financial implications for QPR due to a clause in Eze’s transfer to Crystal Palace, which entitles QPR to 20% of any fee received by Palace from his future sale.
Furthermore, Palace values Eze at around £70 million as the market reopens in January. If Manchester City meets this valuation, it would provide QPR with a significant financial windfall. This could potentially open up opportunities for QPR to reinvest in their first-team squad and improve their current position. However, for QPR to make the most of this financial opportunity, they would likely want to ensure they have the right manager in place.
Ainsworth’s managerial record at QPR has not been impressive, resembling a relegation-bound team’s form. This raises questions about whether he is the right manager to lead the club forward. Therefore, Ainsworth not only needs to demonstrate that he can deliver the necessary points on the pitch but also that he can be entrusted with significant funds. If he fails to turn things around quickly at Loftus Road, the transfer plans of Manchester City, who are far removed from QPR’s current situation, could play a crucial role in determining Ainsworth’s future at the club.