Chances of QPR star exiting revealed amid failed Birmingham City bid and Leicester City interest | OneFootball

Queens Park Rangers are set to retain Ilias Chair beyond the end of the January transfer window deadline tonight, according to Darren Witcoop.

The Moroccan has been a key player for the R's in recent seasons, with the attacker and fellow game-changer Chris Willock seen as potentially crucial players for the West London outfit in their quest to remain in the Championship beyond the end of this season.

Chair shone under Mick Beale during the early stages of the 2022/23 campaign and it could be argued that his contributions during that period helped QPR to stay up last term, with the club enduring a miserable second half of the season.

Currently sitting in 22nd place, Marti Cifuentes' side will need to retain their best players and potentially recruit more signings in the coming hours if they are to give themselves a chance of remaining afloat in their current division.

Chair has performed well under Cifuentes at times during the latter's tenure in the English capital, registering two assists in a 2-0 away win at Preston North End and also registering a goal and an assist in his last two league games.

Winning four points from six in those two matches, his contributions have continued to be important, even though he has only registered three goals and five assists in 27 league appearances this term.

By the Morocco international's standards, that's a fairly average campaign at best, but he has continued to show his quality during the 2023/24 campaign.

The size of Birmingham City's offer for Chair is unclear - but Witcoop has reported that an offer was submitted by Tony Mowbray's side for the 26-year-old.

A couple of years ago, it may have been a surprise to see Blues sign a player of that calibre permanently - but the new ownership have backed the club in the transfer market during 2023/24.

Blues have also signed Andre Dozzell from the R's, but the latter weren't sanctioning a move for Chair too.

In terms of interest in the Moroccan, Leicester City have been long-term admirers of Chair, but they don't look set to secure a transfer for him either.

QPR have made the right decision to retain Ilias Chair

If QPR lost Chair before the deadline, that would majorly dent their survival hopes.

With this in mind, keeping the 26-year-old is perhaps more important than making another signing.

The R's need game-changers in their squad and if they can retain the likes of Chair and Willock, that will give them a chance of staying up.

With Chair's contract situation in mind too, the R's aren't under major pressure to sell him.

His contract doesn't expire until 2025 - and QPR .