Gareth Ainsworth drops QPR transfer hint amid Chris Martin speculation | OneFootball

Highlights

Queens Park Rangers boss Gareth Ainsworth has played down talk the club could bring Chris Martin back to the club, as he insisted he is happy with the options he has up top.

QPR linked with Chris Martin

The 34-year-old joined the R’s on a short-term deal that ran until the end of last season, and it was a move that worked for the club, as Martin scored four goals in 16 appearances to help keep the side in the Championship.

With his contract expiring in the summer, it was confirmed that the ex-Derby man would be leaving, but it later emerged in the window that they were in talks with the target man about returning.

As Martin is a free agent, he can be signed outside the window, so QPR are in no rush to get it over the line.

What has Gareth Ainsworth said about signing a striker?

Of course, there are other free agents out there as well as Martin that the R’s could bring in, but Ainsworth told West London Sport that he doesn’t feel like it’s a pressing issue right now, indicating they won’t pursue a new number nine.

“I’ve heard people have been saying ‘Are we getting a striker in?’ Well, with Lyndon and Sinclair and Rayan Kolli and Charlie Kelman – and probably Alfie Lloyd underneath them – we’ve got strikers at this club.

“It’s about time some of these young boys got a chance. We’ve given Sinclair the chance and look what he’s done. And Rayan Kolli is doing really well.”

Do QPR need another striker?

This is the big question, and, clearly, in the mind of Ainsworth, they don’t. However, it’s fair to say that many will not agree with that assessment.

Firstly, the emergence of Sinclair Armstrong as a genuine first-team player has been a major positive this season, and you have to give credit to the boss for being willing to give these younger players a chance.

But, nobody really knows if Kolli will be able to make an instant impact, and the reality is that Lyndon Dykes is the only senior striker at the club. Pleasingly, he is now back fit and should start against Sunderland, and if the Scotland international remains available for the next few months, the R’s should be fine.

Nevertheless, it’s still a risk, but you can understand why the club may feel they have enough to get to January, where they can assess the situation and obviously have access to a wider pool of targets than they do right now.

What next for QPR?

QPR have improved significantly since that opening day loss to Watford, and Ainsworth deserves huge credit for that, as he was coming in for fierce criticism, which was understandable.

Of course, it’s still going to be a tough season for the Londoners, but the fans will see a side that is playing with real heart and desire, and there is a good mix of youth and experience within the setup.