“I wanted to stay” – QPR first-teamer makes admission on former club following Loftus Road arrival | OneFootball

Queens Park Rangers centre-back Leon Balogun has admitted he didn’t want to leave Scottish Premiership side Rangers in the summer, speaking on The Beautiful Game Podcast.

The 34-year-old had been in discussions with the Gers regarding a new deal after making 37 appearances in all competitions last season, establishing himself as an important figure for the Scottish top-tier outfit.

And many people would have been expecting him to remain at Ibrox beyond the summer considering the number of appearances he made during the 2021/22 campaign – but an offer never came in the end.

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With this, Balogun decided to seal a reunion with former Rangers assistant head coach Michael Beale at QPR during the latter stages of August, appearing 12 times in the league for the Championship outfit this term.

A place in the starting lineup in the English capital isn’t guaranteed for him though with the likes of Rob Dickie, Jimmy Dunne and Jake Clarke-Salter set to be available for Beale’s successor.

If Balogun had his own way, he would probably still be in Glasgow at the moment with the Gers, expressing his desire to have stayed put at Ibrox after playing such an important role for them last season.

He said (via Glasgow Times): “I was very sad to leave. The club infected me with their blue fever. I did not leave Rangers. It is more like I was released.

“That is the fairest way to put it. I did not expect it. At one point down the line i got prepared but I still did not expect that. I never received an offer.

“We were talking but I never received anything. I wanted to stay. I love the club. I felt like I had found a home there.”

The Verdict:

You can understand why Balogun wanted to stay because he seemed to be settled at Ibrox and had the chance to play regularly because of the Gers’ participation in a number of tournaments.

However, he has a chance to play a decent number of games this season too with his current club in the FA Cup and looking set to return to league action at the weekend.

QPR still have a real chance to be involved in the promotion mix this season if they can perform well under Beale’s successor and this is why the Nigerian needs to be excited about what’s happening at Loftus Road.

He’s at a club that has plenty of potential with Mark Warburton getting the club in much better shape – and the speculation surrounding Beale’s future may have contributed to their recent form.

With this outside noise now gone, QPR’s first-team squad have a real chance to knuckle down and focus on their football, something that will only help them in their quest to secure a place in the promotion mix.

Currently in sixth place, they aren’t in the worst position despite their recent winless run and they certainly have the ingredients in their squad to push for a return to the top tier.