Simon Jordan slams Marti Cifuentes for "disrespectful" QPR situation ahead of Leicester City move | OneFootball

Simon Jordan has hit out at Marti Cifuentes as he prepares to take over at Leicester City after leaving QPR.

Former Crystal Palace owner and talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan has claimed that Marti Cifuentes disrespected his former club Queens Park Rangers as he closes in on a move to Leicester City.

Cifuentes left Swedish side Hammarby to take over at Loftus Road in October 2023, and he successfully kept QPR in the Championship for two consecutive seasons, leading them to 18th and 15th-placed finishes respectively.

However, Cifuentes' time in West London came to a controversial end when he was placed on gardening leave in April after his representatives reportedly held talks with West Bromwich Albion over their vacant managerial position, and his departure was officially confirmed last month.

As it turned out, Cifuentes was not on the Baggies' shortlist of candidates to replace Tony Mowbray, and the Midlands outfit eventually appointed Tottenham Hotspur assistant coach Ryan Mason, but the Spaniard looks set to make a return to management with Leicester, with journalist John Percy revealing that he is "emerging as a strong contender" to replace Ruud van Nistelrooy.

The likes of Sean Dyche, Danny Rohl, Chris Wilder and Gary O'Neil have all been linked with the vacancy at the King Power Stadium in recent weeks, but it appears Cifuentes is now in pole position to land the job, and the Foxes will have to pay QPR a compensation fee of £500,000.

Simon Jordan issues damning Marti Cifuentes, QPR claim ahead of Leicester City arrival

As he prepares to take over at Leicester, Jordan criticised Cifuentes for his treatment of QPR ahead of his exit, claiming that the Spaniard disrespected the club by eyeing up other jobs while he was still under contract at Loftus Road.

"If you're at Queens Park Rangers and you're batting your eyelids at other people and wanting to get out of the door and creating situations like that, then you do have an element of disloyalty about you, don't you?" Jordan said on talkSPORT.

"Hence the reasons why he was put into a situation where he was consequenced by QPR, so you have to price that into the equation.

"If indeed he's going to make a contribution towards it, I imagine they'll pay him less of a salary, so rather than having to pony up any money, it'll be taken out of his upside, which is the salary he'll be getting at Leicester, if indeed they want him."

"I do think it's disrespectful," Jordan continued.

"That's why I had issues with Marco Silva, and that's why I had the issues I had at the time with Gary Rowett, because I think there's a way to operate.

"Of course, when you've done wonderful things and you've been there for a long period of time, you've earned the currency and you've got your stripes.

"No one would say that Thomas Frank being available and having an ear for Tottenham was anything other than the fact he's done his job at Brentford, there was an opportunity and everyone leaves amicably.

"When you don't do that and you disrespect those who have given you an opportunity and you show disloyalty, that's the reason why you get my reaction."

Marti Cifuentes has a point to prove at Leicester City after controversial QPR exit

Many QPR supporters will likely agree with Jordan that Cifuentes was disrespectful to the club during the latter part of his time at Loftus Road, but some were still disappointed to see him depart.

After inspiring a great escape during his first year with the R's, last season was an underwhelming one for Cifuentes and his side as they finished 15th having flirted with relegation at various points of the campaign, and his questionable handling of his exit saw his stock fall even further.

It looked as though Cifuentes would be starting the new season without a club, but he has been given a managerial lifeline by Leicester, and with expectations likely to be high at the King Power Stadium, he will be under pressure to deliver.