QPR have rejected a transfer bid from La Liga outfit Espanyol for midfielder Jonathan Varane, just weeks after the 23-year-old put pen to paper on a new long-term deal at Loftus Road.
The R’s signed the Frenchman from Sporting Gijon for a reported fee of £875,000 last summer. Varane had a slow start to life in the Championship but adjusted well over the 2024/25 season and finished the campaign strongly in the center of the park.
Varane’s efforts were rewarded with a new deal following the close of the season, but that has not stopped Espanyol from sending an ambitious offer to Loftus Road. West London Sport carries reports of the bid, said to be worthjust overt £5 million, but they have rejected the fee.
QPR reject £5 million transfer bid
The midfielder made 39 appearances for the club in the league last season and enjoyed 43 outings across all competitions. When signing his new contract, Varane said, “I feel very, very happy. I think it’s a big step for me, signing this new deal. I’m really proud.
“I really enjoy it here. First thing, with my teammates. I think we have a really good group, and that has helped me to perform on the pitch on good days and bad days. I love football. It’s my passion. When I can play football in a good atmosphere, at a good place like QPR, obviously I can smile a lot.”
CEO Christian Nourry added, “Before I discuss this new contract, I appreciate the end to the season has not been as smooth as we all would have liked with Martí Cifuentes being placed on gardening leave. I also understand questions fans may have regarding that decision. When we are in a position to communicate on this, we will absolutely do so. Right now, what is important is that we continue our preparations for 2025/26.
“With that in mind, it is with immense pleasure that we announce that Jona has extended his contract with the football club. Not only does he have the human qualities to be a future leader of the football club, but, as a number 6, his profile is increasingly rare, being able to combine physicality with high-level ball carrying and technical qualities.
“Jona heads into 2025/26 with eyes wide open about the areas of further improvement that he needs to make with Kevin (Betsy, Individual Development Coach) and the rest of the coaching staff in order to take the next step.”
Charlton Athletic handed Nathan Jones boost
Elsewhere in the Championship, newly promoted Charlton Athletic have been handed a boost in their hopes of keeping Nathan Jones at The Valley. The Welshman had been named as a potential target to take on the vacant role at Cardiff City.
The Bluebirds were relegated from the second tier last term and were said to be plotting an ambitious move for Jones, who just celebrated clambering out of League One with Charlton Athletic via the play-offs. The manager has shared his affection for Cardiff City before, the Welsh outfit being his home club, even admitting that he’d like to work there one day.
When linked with the team earlier this season, Jones said, “When this kind of stuff comes up, I’m very flattered to be linked with that. One day—I’ve made no secret and been totally open—I would like to manage Cardiff. It is my hometown club—my dad lives close. But, right now, I have a fantastic job, and I’m at a wonderful club where I’m really, really looking to build something.
“So that is where we are. I won’t be disrespectful to anyone in any way. So for me it is nothing—I get on with my job day to day, and I love my job here and the people I work with. I’ve asked a lot of people to buy in to that. There is nothing to say, really.”
It seemed unlikely that Jones would have his head turned by Cardiff City, and reporter Darren Witcoop has confirmed that seems to be the case. Taking to social media platform X, he wrote, “Back to Plan B it now appears for Cardiff. A deal Cardiff was more than exploring appears to be over, with Jones staying at Charlton as it stands. And think that will be that. Blow for Cardiff and good news for Charlton…”
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