Cifuentes explains snubbing of QPR defender Kakay
Osman Kakay appears to have played his last match for QPR.
The defender, 26, has not made a league appearance since featuring in a 2-0 defeat at Millwall on Boxing Day.
His contract expires this summer and he looks set to leave after 20 years with the club.
Kakay, a product of Rangers’ academy, has made 113 first-team appearances since making his senior debut in 2017.
Reggie Cannon took Kakay’s place at right-back, where Jimmy Dunne has since been operating.
Aaron Drewe also appears to be above Kakay in the pecking order, having been part of the first-team squad since the Sierra Leone international’s most recent involvement.
Kakay was the only senior outfield player involved for QPR’s development side in a match against Crewe this week.
Asked if Kakay is not part of his plans, boss Marti Cifuentes said: “Well, when you look at the squad and the selections over the last weeks, it’s obviously the case.
“It’s nothing against Ozzie. I will not be the one judging what he has done at the club for many years. He has been proving that he is a very competent player.
“But obviously we are in a situation where there is a lot of competition to get into the squad at right full-back.
“It was Reggie at the start playing a lot, then since Jimmy came in and started to play in that position he has been doing really well and giving us another dimension in terms of the things he can give to us.”
Meanwhile, Jake Clarke-Salter is fully fit and available for the game at Hull City on Saturday, Cifuentes says.
Clarke-Salter, previously plagued by injury setbacks, has been in excellent form this season while finally enjoying an extended run in the side.
His past injury woes led to the defender being left on the bench for this week’s 1-1 draw at Plymouth because of a slight groin problem.
Cifuentes explained: “Jake during the second half of the Sheffield Wednesday game felt a little bit in his groin – overload, not a strain or anything else.
“We had experience in the club before my arrival with similar situations when he got a muscular injury, so we learned from that.
“But Jake is definitely ready and is an important player for us. It’s just about load management.”
Midfielder Jack Colback and striker Michael Frey have both missed the past two matches because of minor injuries.
Colback trained fully on Thursday and is expected to be in the squad for the Hull game.
Frey will be assessed on Friday before a decision is taken on whether he will be included for the trip north.
“Jack Colback has been training today and feeling good. With Michael, we are going to take the last decision tomorrow,” Cifuentes said.
“We are assessing them. We want to push and the players themselves want to push, but it’s very important we make sure (they are fully fit).”
