Swansea join Watford in eyeing QPR defender Clarke-Salter

Swansea are keen on QPR’s Jake Clarke-Salter.

With Watford having indicated that they are interested in the defender, Swansea have now earmarked him as a possible signing.

The Welsh club are looking for a centre-back after recent injuries to Ben Cabango and Cameron Burgess.

With Burgess facing a long spell out with a serious Achilles injury, club captain Cabango went off with a heel problem during Swansea’s 0-0 draw with Sheffield United on Saturday and could also be unavailable for some time.

Clarke-Salter, who turns 29 next month, has himself been plagued by injuries since being signed four years ago after leaving Chelsea.

He has played in both of Rangers’ opening two matches of the Championship season and hopes to put his injury problems behind him.

However, even if he is available, he cannot be guaranteed a first-team place at QPR, with Jimmy Dunne and Ronnie Edwards currently ahead of him in the pecking order.

Edwards has been operating in midfield as a short-term measure, which has enabled Clarke-Salter to play in recent matches.

Meanwhile, QPR left-back Boy Kemper is expected to be out for at least six weeks.

The summer signing suffered an ankle injury on his Championship debut, against Portsmouth on the opening day of the season.

Rangers are still assessing the nature of the problem and head coach Julien Stephan admitted at the weekend that he did not know when Kemper might return.

And now Stephan does not believe the Dutch left-back will be ready to train fully until September’s international break.

That means the earliest Kemper will be available to play again is the London derby at West Ham on 9 October.

“He will probably restart training during the international break,” said Stephan.