Richards? The 3 QPR players that need to prove a point in pre-season or risk 2024/25 axe | OneFootball

These 3 QPR players have a big pre-season ahead.

QPR are preparing for their first full season in the Championship under Marti Cifuentes.

Cifuentes was brought in at the end of October to replace Gareth Ainsworth with QPR in the relegation zone.

The Spaniard led the club to Championship safety, finishing 18th in the table despite the precarious position they were in when he arrived at the club.

There will be optimism that Rangers can look up the table next season, and Cifuentes will be preparing his squad to compete in the second tier once again.

Let's take a look at a few of the players who will need to convince the 41-year-old that they should be a part of his squad for the 2024/25 campaign.

Midfielder Taylor Richards joined QPR on a permanent basis after spending the 2022/23 season on loan from Brighton.

The 23-year-old spent time in Manchester City's academy as a teenager, before joining the Seagulls in a deal worth £2.5m in 2019.

Richards rarely featured in the Championship last season, making just four appearances, and is yet to register a goal or an assist for the Rs.

QPR boss Marti Cifuentes discussed Richards with West London Sport last season when he was struggling with a calf injury, and made it clear that there was a pathway back into the team for him.

This will be an important pre-season for Richards if he is going to convince the manager that he should be a part of his plans next season.

Rayan Kolli

Teenager Rayan Kolli made his debut for QPR last season after coming through the academy.

The 19-year-old made 10 Championship appearances during the 2023/24 campaign, all from the bench, although the majority of them were before Cifuentes arrived at the club.

The forward has a year remaining on his deal at Loftus Road, and he will hope that he can get some more opportunities in the first team next season to show Cifuentes what he can do.

Kolli may be sent on loan if the manager decides that he will not be given enough minutes at QPR, as the glimpses of ability he showed last season suggest that he is ready to make an impact in senior football.

This will be an important pre-season for the youngster, as if he can make an impact, he could earn himself another chance in the Championship. If not, his performances could determine which clubs would want to take him on loan.

Charlie Kelman

Charlie Kelman signed for QPR from Southend United in 2020, and is yet to really make an impact at Loftus Road.

The striker has failed to score in 26 appearances for the Rs, and was sent on loan to Wigan Athletic in January where he netted three times in League One during the second half of the season.

He has also spent time on loan at Gillingham and Leyton Orient since his arrival at QPR.

The 22-year-old signed a contract extension at Loftus Road in January, and will hope he can use pre-season to prove that he deserves to be part of Cifuentes' first team squad next term.