Reported £5m Celtic target left out of squad; manager says head’s not right

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Queens Park Rangers manager Mark Warburton has admitted Bright Osayi-Samuel’s future is uncertain after the Celtic target was left out of Tuesday’s clash with Barnsley, speaking to West London Sport.

It’s fair to say last night couldn’t have gone much worse for QPR.

Not only did they suffer a humiliating 3-0 defeat at Barnsley, a result capped by Yoann Barbet’s horrific own goal, but Rangers were also forced to travel to Oakwell without their most influential attacker.

Osayi-Samuel has yet to sign a new deal at QPR.

And, with the jet-heeled winger due to become a free agent in July 2021, the Scottish Sun believes Celtic will try to sign him on a pre-contract agreement in the January transfer window.

“The contractual talks have been ongoing for a while now. He’s a great lad but his head has got to be in the right place for a game of football,” says former Rangers boss Warburton.

“I just felt tonight wasn’t right for him and for the team as well. It does him good to think about things. I just want Brighty to have a clear head and make the right decision.

“As far as I’m aware, absolutely, there’s hope with Brighty. He’s in a very good place at the club, he’s developing at the club and I hope very much he can see that’s the case.”

Warburton, then, is clearly refusing to accept defeat.

But he took a similar stance with Ryan Manning, leaving him out of the squad because of an uncertain contract situation before the left-back joined Championship rivals Swansea City on deadline day.

That’s hardly a good omen.

The Sun added that Crystal Palace have been watching the £5 million-rated Osayi-Samuel since as far back as 2019.