QPR revamped £30m rated starting XI if January transfer rumours come true

Championship clubs have now had more than two weeks to get the ball rolling on potential January transfer moves and there certainly hasn’t been a shortage of rumours around QPR.

The club was active this time last year in Marti Cifuentes’ first window as R’s head coach and the London outfit recruited in numbers again last summer. That could make any investment this time around slightly more difficult, but injuries this season have highlighted some areas where strength in depth could be needed.

The shot-stopper is proving to be a shrewd piece of summer business by QPR. Nardi has played every minute of the campaign and found himself regularly in Teams of the Week. The goalkeeper arrived from Gent last June.

Hull Live report that QPR are rivalling Hull City over a move for Celtic left-back Greg Taylor. Kenneth Paal currently holds the left-back spot, but was linked with a move to Watford last summer and is out of contract come the end of the season. The former Kilmarnock man has racked up 229 Scottish Premiership appearances over his career and offers plenty going forwards, with five assists so far this season. The Glasgow giants are set to bring in Kieran Tierney from Arsenal, which could make an exit for Taylor possible.

CB – Hjalmar Ekdal, £5.5m

Swedish outlet Expressen claim that QPR are one of the clubs showing interest in out-of-favour Burnley man Ekdal. Stoke City and Rangers are also linked. Ekdal hasn’t made a single Championship appearance for the Clarets this season, but missed a large part of the season with a hamstring injury, having played eight times in the Premier League last term. It’s not yet confirmed when Steve Cook will return from injury and a new defensive addition would make sense.

CB – Liam Morrison, £252,000

QPR’s sudden defensive improvements came as Morrison shook off an injury and claimed a place in the starting XI. The former Bayern Munich man has impressed and looks set to keep the injury-riddled Jake Clarke-Salter out the team for now.

RB – Jimmy Dunne, £3m

Mr Versatile at the back, Dunne has been pushed back into a central role in recent weeks with Cook out, but has made the right-back berth his own over the past 12 months. A fan favourite, he’s very much a linchpin of the Cifuentes system.

CM – Sam Field, £2.7m

Has taken over the captaincy with Cook out and has the knack of popping up with crucial goals at times, as seen during the relegation fight last season. An engine room in the centre of the park.

CM – Jonathan Varane, £1.1m

Looked a little shaky when first arrived from Sporting Gijon but has turned in some head-turning performances over the festive period and New Year. Cifuentes has kept faith in his summer signing and it looks to be paying dividends as he adjusts to the Championship.

CM – Kieran Morgan, £337,000

What a move QPR made in snapping up the 18-year-old when he was released from Tottenham Hotspur last season. Viewed as a Development Squad player, Morgan has muscled his way into the first team and has just put pen to paper on a new contract at Loftus Road to reflect his contributions.

Crystal Palace man targeted by Championship clubs

LW – Ilias Chair, £5m

It’s been a quiet season for the winger so far, having missed a large portion of the action due to injury. The 27-year-old does now have three assists in his last five Championship outings as his campaign begins to pick up pace.

ST – Michael Frey, £673,000

Signed by Cifuentes last January, it was hardly a prolific start to life in west London for Frey with just one goal last season. The striker has struggled with injury this term but has five goals in his 15 Championship appearances and, with mutterings of a potential Zan Celar exit, could become even more important to the team.

RW – Jeffrey Schlupp, £5m