Warburton eyeing possible January signings for QPR

QPR boss Mark Warburton


Mark Warburton has indicated that QPR will look to further add to the squad when the transfer window reopens in January.

Rangers stretched their budget during the summer to bring in the likes of Stefan Johansen and Charlie Austin.

And manager Warburton says there could be new additions in order to boost the promotion challenge.


He explained: “You look at your squad; what needs to be done and what can be done in January.

“Are you happy with what you’ve got? Do you need to make some tweaks? All of these questions will come up.

“Work is being done now to see what’s available, what might supplement and what we need.”

Rangers currently have some injury worries, and defensive lapses have resulted in dropped points, but they are in the play-off places and look well placed to maintain a push for promotion during the second half of the season.

Warburton said: “I don’t think we’ve played with the fluency and the level we know we can achieve, and still we’re in the top six.

“That’s a positive but we have to recognise how tight it is from fifth down to 15th.”

Lyndon Dykes and keeper Seny Dieng are among QPR players who will be assessed ahead of Friday’s Championship game against Luton.

Andre Gray, meanwhile, is still struggling with a knee knock and has been ruled out.

Dykes was away with Scotland during the recent international break but unavailable for selection because of the ankle injury he picked up against Nottingham Forest last month.

“We’ve got to see how he is. He was in with the medical boys yesterday and we’ll see how he is,”  Warburton said.

“You look at the amount of football Lyndon has played, he never gets a break, he goes away (with Scotland) and all credit to him, he has established himself as Scotland’s number nine and is a consistent goalscorer for his country and done supremely well.

“But it just means he never gets a break, so we have to look after him.”

Ilias Chair returned to London late on Wednesday afternoon from Rabat, where he played 80 minutes in Morocco’s 3-0 win over Guinea, and his fitness will be checked by the club’s medical staff along with Moses Odubajo, who is nursing a hamstring problem.

Dieng has finished his isolation period following Covid-19 but has yet to train with the team this week.

Warburton said: “We’ve got Moses and Andre being checked, there is Seny who has been isolating due to Covid.

“There are a lot of questions and I hope to have some answers later on Thursday before I can think about naming a team.”

Lee Wallace played 60 minutes for the Under-23s last week and is set to be involved for the first time since August, when he suffered a serious hamstring injury in the 3-2 win at Middlesbrough.