Willock extends: Marti Cifuentes will be on cloud nine if these things happen at QPR | OneFootball

QPR are a team on the up after manager Marti Cifuentes guided them to safety against all odds.

The R's have looked transformed under the Spaniard's tutelage, and despite spending the majority of the season in the relegation zone, they secured survival with a game to spare.

Talk has now turned to next season, with the club hoping to steer clear of another relegation battle and looking up the table.

QPR recorded the sixth-oldest starting XI in the Championship, according to Transfermarkt, this season and they have a big summer ahead of them if they're to build a side capable of competing towards the top half of the table.

Whilst new signings will be needed to refresh the squad but their focus should also be on retaining the talents who helped them survive.

Isaac Hayden became a trusted member of QPR's squad after arriving on loan from Newcastle in January and Cifuentes should be looking to bring the midfielder back to the club on a permanent basis.

Fellow midfielder Chris Willock has been instrumental for QPR for a number of seasons now, and with his contract due to expire this summer, the club needs to prioritise tying him down to a new deal.

If QPR can negotiate deals for Hayden and Willock early on, it would provide the perfect platform for Cifuentes to build a side in his image as they look to push on next season.

Isaac Hayden signs permanently

Hayden has been a useful player for Newcastle since his move from Arsenal in 2016.

The midfielder has made 171 appearances for the Magpies, helping them to promotion back to the Premier League in 2017.

The 29-year-old has been out of favour in recent years, though, following the acquisitions of Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, and his future at Newcastle seems uncertain.

Hayden showed himself to be an experienced and dependable option in the middle of the park for QPR, playing 17 games for the Rs in the second half of the season.

With fellow January arrival Joe Hodge set to return to Wolves, Hayden would be a strong addition to QPR's midfield.

According to Darren Wincoop, Newcastle are set to agree to terminate the midfielder's contract to let him move on for free this summer.

It is thought that the West Londoners are confident of re-signing Hayden, who has expressed his desire to return to the club in the past, but there are said to be other Championship admirers.

Chris Willock signs a new contract

Willock has been the creative fulcrum of QPR's team alongside Ilias Chair since he arrived in 2020.

The 26-year-old provides a goal threat that's sorely lacking in QPR's side and with his contract expiring this summer, the Rs need to make sure they secure his services long-term.

Willock's experience and ability at this level make him an attractive proposition as a free agent, with Norwich City and Sunderland both interested, according to Alan Nixon via Patreon and a report by SB Nation.

With interest in Willock intensifying, QPR will need to be proactive in their negotiations if they are to tie down the Englishman.

QPR are hoping to make significant progress next season under Cifuentes but they need to be wary of abandoning the core group of players who helped them to survive and securing the futures of Hayden and Willock will go a long way to consolidating the momentum they've built over the last few months.