QPR warned against "nightmare" Ilias Chair scenario - It would be "very big blow" | OneFootball

FLW's QPR fan pundit has identified a 'nightmare' transfer scenario for the club to avoid this summer.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

QPR are facing a vital, yet uncertain summer, as the club prepares to enter a new era at Loftus Road.

With Julien Stephan set to take over from Marti Cifuentes as QPR's new manager, 2025/26 will see the R's undergo a period of transition.

A 15th-placed finish last season marked the club's third consecutive campaign without a top-half finish in the Championship, and as such, breaking that curse will be the obvious remit for next season.

However, in order to achieve that, QPR's playing squad will need to be bolstered significantly this summer, with sub-par defensive and offensive numbers from 2024/25 needing to be addressed and improved upon next year.

QPR told of "nightmare" transfer scenario involving Ilias Chair

We asked our QPR fan pundit, Louis Moir: 'What would be a 'nightmare scenario' for your club in this summer's transfer window?'

Moir said: "I think a potential nightmare scenario could be Ilias Chair leaving.

"Personally, I think I sort of think this every season, and then he ends up staying, signing a new deal, and it seems like he'll never leave!

"But, I just think that if a club does come in for him and it's a good offer and we end up losing him, for me, I still think he's the best player at the club. Obviously, he's had his injury problems last season, which was rare because he never really faces injury problems.

"But, I truly believe that if he gets fit again and stays fit, then I do think he could be in for a massive season for us - maybe a bigger one than he's ever had.

"Obviously, if we were to lose him, then we'd get good money, we'd replace him well, and probably not just get one player in, we'd probably spread out the money we'd get on other players as well.

"But, I just think, because he's so crucial to us and every time we do well, he does well, players come and go and sometimes you have to move on with players, but I just think with him, everything goes through him.

"Yes, you could look at him and think, 'well his numbers should actually be better', but the fact is that the amount of chances we create tends to be through him. He'll obviously chip in with big goals and big moments.

"He'd probably have more assists on his stats if the strikers we've had in recent seasons could actually put them away. I just think he'd be a very, very big loss.

"Fingers crossed another summer transfer window goes by where he's still a QPR player, and he can really, really start to sort of kick on now in his prime, and under a new manager.

"It might not be a massive set of new players, but he'd still be the main man next season. So fingers crossed he's still with us."

Ilias Chair's QPR contract situation puts R's in strong position to retain his services this summer

Having joined the club all the way back in January 2017 after starting his career in Belgian football, Chair has gone on to become one of QPR's best and most productive players in recent times.

The Morocco international has been uber-consistent when it comes to goal contributions and creating chances for his teammates, and has become a hugely popular figure among the Loftus Road faithful over the years.

As such, there is naturally a fear among football fans of any club over the prospect of losing a key player, especially for a club like QPR, where one or two big-name exits could be fatal for a side that has been somewhat treading water in the Championship over the last few seasons.

Luckily for the R's when it comes to Chair, however, they are in a very strong position when it comes to being able to resist any potential transfer interest in their star attacker this summer.

That's thanks to him penning a new long-term deal in January, which in turn naturally increases his transfer value significantly, perhaps to the highest point its ever been as a QPR player.

Therefore, the Hoops will feel under no pressure whatsoever to cash in on the Moroccan this summer, and if they did, they'd surely be bankrolled by a very healthy transfer fee for his services.