Eight days. That is all that remains between now and Queens Park Rangers’ Championship opener against West Bromwich Albion at Loftus Road.
And with time running out – both in QPR’s pre-season preparations and in the transfer window – head coach Marti Cifuentes is keen to point out that this is very much a squad in need of further acquisitions.
QPR have brought in Zan Celar, the striker from FC Lugano in Switzerland.
Right-back Hevertton arrives from CF Estrela, centre-half Liam Morrison joins from Bayern Munich and, in Paul Nardi, Rangers also have a new goalkeeper secured from Gent in Belgium.
But, as Cifuentes explains, there are still a few areas where the QPR roster looks a little weak.
“When you look at the acquisitions that we’ve made, they are in the middle or the back line,” the head coach told West London Sport in midweek.
“Hevertton is a right full-back but we are using him as a right winger because that’s where we are. We need more there and hopefully we can keep improving as well.
“We’ve got the players we’ve got, so I’m trying to get the best of all of them. I have a clear idea (of what is needed) and the club knows very well my idea. I am aware that we are trying to work and that’s where we are.”
Queens Park Rangers close in on Jonathan Varane
Cifuentes’ comments, then, suggest that a QPR side who have lost Sinclair Armstrong to Bristol City and ex-Arsenal starlet Chris Willock to Cardiff will be prioritising forwards and widemen between now and the start of September.
The ongoing interest in Jonathan Varane, then, may come as a surprise given that Cifuentes appears to have played down the need for more midfielders.
Varane, the half-brother of former Real Madrid and Manchester United colossus Raphael Varane, is reportedly set to join QPR for around £1.2 million having been offered a four-year contract in the English capital, per El Comercio.
He was also left out of Sporting Gijon’s friendly with Ponferradina in midweek. El Comercio add that Varane has now said goodbye to his team-mates at the Spanish second tier outfit.
David Guerra, Sporting Gijon’s CEO, opened up on the deal that should take Varane to QPR on Thursday. And while nothing has been done just yet, things are clearly heading in the right direction.
Sporting Gijon confirm sale is progressing
“There is one month left (in the window) and we have a clear path,” Guerra tells La Nueva Espana.
“We have made progress (in the Varane transfer). There are still some details to be resolved. He is a very professional player. He came to the club and contributed to us.
“He took on a lot of responsibility at a very difficult time.”
Only 22 years of age, Lille-born Varane moved to Sporting from RC Lens. He played 25 games in all competitions last term.
At QPR, Varane will face competition for a starting berth under Cifuentes from the likes of Sam Field, Jack Colback and Elijah Dixon-Bonner.
Queens Park Rangers finished 18th in the Championship last season. They won more games than they lost after hiring the highly-rated Cifuentes in October, however, and a top-half berth may be on the cards if that momentum can be carried into the new campaign.
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