Exclusive: Lee Hendrie names 2 QPR players to watch out for in 2025/26 | OneFootball

A duo who played in League One last season will deal with the step up comfortably, according to Lee Hendrie.

Former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie has highlighted both Kwame Poku and Charlie Kelman as two players who are set to have standout seasons at QPR in 2025/26.

The pair scored a combined 33 goals to add to a combined 13 assists last season in League One for Peterborough United and Leyton Orient, respectively.

For Kelman, his recent loan move to Orient was his fourth separate spell away from Loftus Road, but his first where he truly exploded in front of goal, netting a league-best 21 as well as a couple more in the play-offs, as Richie Wellens' side narrowly lost out on Championship promotion.

Poku, meanwhile, has had his talents known at third-tier level for a while now, and has been one of the division's most exciting wingers over the past three seasons prior to his £900,000 move to QPR this summer.

Questions have been swirling around whether Kelman will be at Loftus Road this upcoming season, but he, like Pouku, has been taking part in pre-season match-ups as Julien Stéphan gets ready for his first term at the helm.

Lee Hendrie highlights former League One duo as QPR's 'ones-to-watch'

So, as it stands, the former American youth international is remaining at the Hoops, and Hendrie, a current EFL pundit, feels that he and Poku are in for big years in 2025/26.

Speaking exclusively with Football League World, Sky Sports Pundit Hendrie initially singled out Poku to be the one to watch at QPR this season.

"Going in there, I think Poku is one who has the potential to set his QPR career alight next season, and I think he'll suit playing in [Julien Stéphan's] system," he said.

"But Charlie Kelman as well," he added. "I think with what he did last season at Leyton Orient, he's one who really wants to prove a point.

"I think we'll see the best of him this season as he's coming in with good confidence.

"So, yes, those two are the ones to keep an eye out for."

QPR are in for an exciting season under Julien Stéphan

QPR under Julien Stéphan next season looks to be going under the radar as potential dark horses in the Championship.

The 44-year-old has worked wonders at his previous clubs, if his players buy into the system. During his time in France, he led Rennes to their first-ever European knockout round and Strasbourg to an unlikely top-six finish in the 2021/22 campaign.

Whilst the Championship is improving year-on-year, Ligue 1 is still one of the top five European leagues, and if he can be a serviceable manager there, he could be a top manager in the English second tier, again, if he has the players to operate with.

So far, retaining Jimmy Dunne is almost as important as a new signing, keeping Kelman will be too, and securing the services of Poku and Amadou Mbengue, two players who have been deemed too good for League One recently, highlights a solid window so far.

Poku and Kelman will be the standouts, and you'd expect both of them to carry the goalscoring load throughout the campaign, but this entire QPR squad, from the players to the manager, could be one to watch in 2025/26.