Julien Stephan drops QPR transfer update - exit claim made on £115k star | OneFootball

The 19-year-old left-back has struggled for minutes at Loftus Road recently.

Queens Park Rangers head coach Julien Stephan has laid out his intentions regarding Brazilian left-back Esquerdinha ahead of the January transfer window.

The 19-year-old completed a move to West London from Fluminense on deadline day of the January transfer window earlier this year for an initial fee of £115,000, and he immediately linked up with the Rs development squad.

He was named on the bench against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on the final day of the 2024/25 Championship season, but he had to wait until the new campaign before making his debut in a QPR shirt.

Stephan trusted the teenager to feature in each of the opening five games this season, and he repaid the Frenchman's faith with an assist during the victory at home against Charlton Athletic in August.

However, since being substituted just after the hour mark in the heavy defeat at home to Ipswich Town at the beginning of November, Esquerdinha has found himself down the pecking order.

Rhys Norrington-Davies' arrival on loan from Sheffield United was always going to make it difficult for Esquerdinha to nail down a place in the team, but the fact that midfielder Sam Field has appeared on the left-hand side of defence ahead of the Brazilian youth international had prompted questions over whether he may need a loan move during the upcoming January transfer window.

Julien Stephan lays out Esquerdinha development plan

Stephan has discussed the short-term future of Esquerdinha, and he does not believe a temporary departure for the young left-back is something that will be necessary, as per West London Sport.

"That's not the plan," Stephan said.

"We want to continue the process with him and help him grow with us. I don't think it will be the plan for him."

Those comments from QPR's head coach suggest that Esquerdinha will stay at Loftus Road for the remainder of the 2025/26 season, but the player himself will surely be hoping to get another opportunity to show what he is capable of in the Championship if that is going to be the case.

Going into the Rs game against Birmingham City in midweek, the 19-year-old has only been named on the bench once in the last six games, and while the team has been in good form, he will no doubt be desperate to prove himself, having experienced first-team football during the early weeks of the campaign.

Stephan backed Esquerdinha after Ipswich disappointment

Esquerdinha has not featured under Stephan since QPR were beaten 4-1 by Ipswich Town at Loftus Road in November, but the fact the head coach wants to keep the youngster at the club shows he must still have faith in him.

Stephan was quick to defend the left-back in the aftermath of that defeat to the Tractor Boys, as per West London Sport.

“It was difficult," he said.

“I don’t want to have analysis on him, I want always to analyse the situation collectively. That’s very important.

“When you have young players and want to develop them then you have to accept some difficult moments.

“He’s a young player, 19 years old, and we want to develop players.”

It would have been no surprise to see Esquerdinha be sent on loan in January to continue his development, but now that he is set to stay in W12 for the rest of the season, QPR fans may well see him back on the pitch sooner than they expected.