Update emerges on Jimmy Dunne’s situation at QPR

QPR have been handed a concerning update in the potential future of Jimmy Dunne.

The defender starred in the Hoops’ emphatic 3-0 over Norwich at the weekend, but revealed that he is yet to speak with the club about a new contract.

Speaking to West London Sport about the prospect of a new deal, Dunne said: “I’ve had no conversations. We’ll see what happens I suppose. I haven’t really thought about it.”

With Marti Cifuentes’ side struggling at the foot of the Championship table, this serves as a worrying sign for QPR, as Dunne’s contract is due to expire at the end of the 2024/25 season.

Dunne has been excellent for QPR

Despite the Hoops’ struggles, Dunne has been integral to Cifuentes’ side so far this term.

The Irishman has been an ever present in the QPR backline and is yet to miss a single minute of the Championship season. His performances have been crucial to his team’s recent upturn in form.

QPR are currently enjoying a run of four games without defeat – their joint-longest unbeaten run of the season to date. That run has also included three consecutive clean sheets and culminated in that superb win over the Canaries on Saturday.

Dunne netted the opener in the Norwich win, providing a positive end to a difficult week that saw him lose his father.

The 27-year-old was full of praise for the support he had received from Cifuentes after the victory. He told ITV Football: “I’m very grateful to the gaffer for allowing me to play today because it would have been the easy option to leave me out for the game.

“So I’m really, really grateful that I’ve got a manager that has my back, knows that I can harness that emotion and is really supportive.”

Dunne looked to have been on borrowed time at QPR, having featured just four times under Gareth Ainsworth at the start of last season, but he has been revitalised under Cifuentes, starting 13 consecutive games from January of last season.

QPR cannot afford to lose Dunne

Saturday’s three points hauled QPR out of the Championship’s relegation zone and with two home games against Oxford United and Preston North End coming up before Christmas, sandwiched either side of trip to Bristol City, the Rs have a real chance to put some daylight between themselves and the bottom three.

But for all the recent optimism that QPR may be able to escape a relegation battle, Dunne’s contract represents a potentially difficult situation on the horizon.

The former Burnley and Sunderland man is into his fourth season in West London, having triggered an automatic 12-month extension to his contract towards the end of last season.

Any side would be reluctant to see a player of Dunne’s quality leave for free, so it is imperative QPR seek assurances that the defender is at least interested in extending his stay, or they may be left with no option but to cash in on him during the January window.

If they were to lose Dunne in January, it would deal a significant blow to the Hoops’ survival aspirations.