Mark Warburton has done a pretty impressive job at Queens Park Rangers this season and his side are still in with a shout of reaching the play-offs.
However, if the R’s don’t go up there will be a real fear that key players from this team will leave and those concerns were heightened yesterday when it was revealed that Club Brugge had made a £3m offer for Bright Osayi-Samuel. Whilst that bid was rejected, it’s proof that clubs are circling and the low fee suggests the Londoners may struggle to strike a deal that reflects his true value.
It’s not just the winger who will be in demand either, as reports have suggested that Eberechi Eze could join Tottenham for around £20m. If a bid of that level does materialise, then R’s fans will probably understand why the club have to cash in. After all, in the current climate there aren’t many in the second tier who would be able to resist such an amount.
Yet, that’s not the case with Osayi-Samuel and his importance to the team will increase if Eze leaves, so the club have a big task to convince the 22-year-old his future lies in west London.
Will Bright Osayi-Samuel be a QPR player next season?
Yes
No
Perhaps the biggest issue is his contract, with the wide man approaching the final year of his deal with the Hoops. Therefore, reaching a new agreement has to be a priority and it will be a chance for the club to put down a real statement of intent.
They need to tell Osayi-Samuel that he will be a key player moving forward and that his development will be best served by continuing under Warburton. More importantly, they need to back that up with a contract offer that reflects his quality.
If they don’t, the player holds the power and the R’s will probably have to cash in, particularly if Osayi-Samuel wants to move – although they clearly should hold out for more than £3m given his talent.
Should that happen, it’s about backing Warburton as much as possible to ensure he can replace those players and keep the team competitive.
Yet, losing Eze and Osayi-Samuel in the same window could be catastrophic. Not only would they lose out on plenty of goals and assists, it would also send the wrong message and undo the good work that the boss has done in uniting the players and fans.
Ultimately, the next few months are going to be significant for QPR and how they come through that could shape the next few years.
