"I do worry" - QPR transfer concern raised over "cultured" Jake Clarke-Salter | OneFootball

The R's appear to have a manager who can maximise the potential of his players, but which member of the current squad could go the furthest?

Highlights

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 hoping for brighter days ahead next season, after another disappointing campaign in 2023/24.

The R's finished 18th in the Championship last season, which was only slightly better than their 20th placed finish in 2022/23, in what has been a challenging couple of years at Loftus Road.

But under new manager Marti Cifuentes, things may well be starting to look up again at the club, as his side ended the season with three wins on the bounce, and just one defeat from their final five matches.

It's fair to say then, that Cifuentes looks to be the man who can get the best out his players, but which current QPR player has the most potential to take their game to the highest level?

QPR fan pundit: 'lucky to have him'

Football League World spoke to our QPR fan pundit, Louis Moir, to find out which R's player he believes has the highest ceiling, and why?

Louis said: "I think if you look at the squad, there's reasons to say why some of the sort of bigger players like Ilias Chair and Chris Willock may not be the one's that you could say have the highest ceiling, but for me I do think it's Jake Clarke-Salter.

"He's obviously proved, touch wood, that he can stay fit. He's been so consistent at the back for us last season, and formed a brilliant partnership with Steve Cook, and it was between the two of them who won player of the year.

"I think the players' player of the year was Clarke-Salter, so everyone at the club knows how good he is, and he's still at a relatively youngish age for a centre-half.

"He's so cultured, he's left-footed, can play and is very good in the air, dangerous from set-pieces, and I think if he stays fit we're lucky to have him.

"I do worry, there's been a lot of rumours that he might go, and if the price is right I think we will have to sell. If he does go, then I wouldn't be surprised to see him sign for a mid-low Premier League side.

"Or maybe a team that's really challenging for promotion in the Championship. But for me, I do fully believe that Clarke-Salter is a Premier League player, I really do.

"You can see him fitting in with the way he plays, and in the Premier League, you'll probably have more time on the ball. I think he'd be superb.

"So for me, out of all our current squad, It's got to be Clarke-Salter who has the highest ceiling for me."

Clarke-Salter would be a big, but understandable loss

A recent report from Football Insider revealed that Celtic are confident of meeting the £5-7m asking price that is understood to have been placed on the 26-year-old, but also face competition from Premier League trio Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Burnley.

It's not difficult to see why either, as the left-footed defender was a star player for the R's last season, and has proven that he's a top Championship player when fit.

The former Chelsea academy graduate has struggled with niggling injuries throughout a lot of his career, but managed to play 33 times for QPR last season - his highest total appearances in a season since his 2018/19 campaign with Vitesse.

The Standard report that Stoke City are one of the Championship clubs interested in Clarke-Salter, but the former England youth international does harbour ambitions of a fairly immediate return to top-flight football.

They state that there is a loose agreement between QPR and Clarke-Salter, that if a Premier League club comes in for him, then they won't stand in his way.

QPR fans will be disappointed to see a talented player leave, but the kind of fee they are likely to receive could be for the greater overall health of the club, and the playing squad, as they need reinforcements in multiple areas of the pitch.