3 ways QPR can use big Charlie Kelman cash windfall after Charlton Athletic deal | OneFootball

The R's have received a nice cash injection after selling the centre-forward to the Addicks.

QPR have bagged themselves a sizeable cash injection following the sale of Charlie Kelman to Charlton Athletic.

The Addicks officially announced Kelman as their newest recruit last Sunday, as Charlton boss Nathan Jones continues to add some eye-catching additions to his squad this summer ahead of their first season back in the Championship next term.

According to Fabrizio Romano, QPR have netted themselves an initial fee of £3.5m, with the potential for it to rise to £5m with add-ons.

So, how might Julien Stephan and the Hoops reinvest this money before the end of the summer transfer window?

In no particular order, Football League World takes a look at three different players the R's may put their Kelman cash windfall towards in the coming weeks.

The left side of QPR's defence looks like an area that Stephan could really do with another body in.

With Kenneth Paal leaving following the expiration of his contract, the Hoops are now left with just Ziyad Larkeche and Esquerdinha as their only natural left-back options.

Larkeche is returning to Loftus Road following a loan spell with Scottish Premiership side Dundee FC, and is yet to really prove himself at Championship level.

Whilst Esquerdinha is yet to make his first senior appearance for QPR after arriving from Fluminense in February, and with him still only being 19, it would be asking a lot of the young Brazilian to step into a key role for them next season.

As such, a move for Viborg starlet Srdjan Kuzmic could be one to consider for Rangers.

Equally comfortable playing at left-back or right-back - and has shown the ability to fill in at centre-back too - the 21-year-old is one of Slovenia's brightest young talents, as evidenced given he played the full 90 minutes of Slovenia's three group games vs Czechia, England and Germany at the recent Under-21 European Championships.

Signed by Danish top-flight side Viborg from Slovenian outfit Mura in the summer of 2023, the young full-back has enjoyed two strong seasons in the Danish Superligaen, but could now be ready to test himself with a move to England.

Kuzmic is already a full Slovenian international too, having made his senior international debut in a 1-0 win over the USA in January last year, in which he played 88 minutes before being substituted off.

We've seen QPR dip into the European market on numerous ocassions in recent years, with the likes of Nicolas Madsen, Zan Celar, Michael Frey, Jonathan Varane and Paul Nardi all arriving at Loftus Road having been plying their trades on the continent, and Kuzmic could be an excellent addition to that list.

2 Chris Mepham

Another department that could do with is in central defence.

It remains to be seen whether Morgan Fox will sign a new deal with the club or leave as a free agent, but even if he does pen a new deal, the 31-year-old endured a pretty disappointing season last term from an individual performances perspective.

Steve Cook is now 34, and whilst he was solid for the R's in 2024/25, he did miss 15 league games last season, and his age could soon start catching up with him in regards to his fitness levels and capability of playing numerous games most weeks.

QPR did a superb piece of business with Southampton in January with Ronnie Edwards, but with him now back at St Mary's, Stephan may need another central defender to ensure he's got enough strength in depth ahead of a long EFL season in this key area of the pitch.

One player who was excellent in the Championship last season was Chris Mepham, who enjoyed an excellent loan spell with eventual play-off winners Sunderland from Bournemouth.

Now back with the Cherries, the 27-year-old Wales international has never really been able to cement a starting role at the Vitality Stadium, having signed for the club back in January 2019 from Brentford.

With just one-year remaining on his contract and in the prime years of his career, Mepham will no doubt want to ensure he's playing regular football over the coming years, and that seems far from certain at Bournemouth.

Therefore, a move to a re-energised and ambitious QPR side could see him pushing for another promotion to the top flight, whilst playing a starring role at Loftus Road too.

One of the standout performers for QPR last season, Koki Saito quickly endeared himself to the Loftus Road faithful with his personality, hard-work and obvious ability.

The 23-year-old joined the club on a season-long loan deal from Belgian second division side Lommel, and was able to score three goals and provide a further three assists in 39 Championship appearances.

Now back with Lommel, he's surely proven that he should be playing at a higher level than the second tier of Belgian football, with all due respect, and given how much of an impact he had with the Hoops, he'd undoubtedly be welcomed back with open arms.

As per Transfermarkt, his contract with Lommel is set to expire in the summer of 2027, meaning QPR will have to pay a fee for him if they wish to secure his services on a permanent basis this summer.

Bringing him back could enable Ilias Chair to move permanently back into a central role where he is arguably more effective, and pairing him on the flanks with new signing Kwame Poku, well that provide Stephan with some real cutting edge out wide.