QPR transfer wish issued over 14-cap international - Sheffield United could provide stumbling block | OneFootball

Football League World's QPR fan pundit has urged the R's to strike a permanent deal for loanee Rhys Norrington-Davies

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

After a disappointing start to the 2025/26 campaign, which included a 7-1 away defeat to Coventry City, Queens Park Rangers managed to turn around their form around to go six games unbeaten before Saturday's home defeat to London rivals Millwall.

Life under French boss Julien Stephan couldn't have begun much worse at QPR following his replacement of Leicester City head coach Marti Cifuentes.

Stephan, who has managed the likes of Strasbourg and Stade Rennais - the latter of which he helped lead to their first trophy in 48 years to lift the Coupe de France - started his QPR tenure with a 1-1 draw at home to Preston, followed by three defeats on the bounce.

A 3-2 away defeat to Plymouth Argyle in the League Cup, a 2-1 away defeat to Watford, and an embarrassing 7-1 away defeat to Coventry in the Championship had alarm bells ringing early on in his tenure, but he answered back emphatically.

The R's, before this past weekend's defeat to Millwall, went six matches unbeaten following their poor start, including four wins and two draws, which helped to alleviate concern and pressure away from Stephan, but there is one concern which has been raised more than most at the club recently.

QPR backed to land permanent Rhys Norrington-Davies deal - It would be a "concern" if Sheffield United recalled him

Football League World's QPR fan pundit, Louis Moir, has shared his biggest concern on or off the pitch now at the club, after their poor form at the start of the season has largely been forgotten.

And it involves loan defender Rhys Norrington-Davies, who has impressed since his arrival at Loftus Road from Sheffield United - yet there is a worry involving the Blades and the 14-cap Wales international defender.

Louis told FLW: "I don't really have much to be concerned about regarding the club on or off the pitch.

"But I suppose if there is a slight sort of worry, it would be Norrington-Davies at left-back, who hasn't put a foot wrong really since joining the club on loan, and my worry is that Sheffield United actually recall him.

"You know, like I say, he's been really solid for us. In every game he has played, he hasn't done anything wrong, and he's been what we have been missing at left-back.

"He's been sort of sturdy and solid, he's not the quickest, he's sort of more of an old school left-back, old school defender, but he's been really, really good, and I'm just worrying that there is that slight chance potentially that Sheffield United have the option to recall him.

"When we first signed him, a lot of their fans were saying that they were happy to see the back of him, he wasn't good enough, and you see the start of the season they've had, he'd probably walk back into their side now at left-back, considering what he has shown for us.

"I just hope that Sheffield United don't intend on recalling him as long as Norrington-Davies continues to do well for us, because we don't want to lose out on what has been a key signing for us in a key position.

"If that were to happen, it puts us short again and leaves us with only a youngster at left-back; he's talented himself, but it wouldn't be enough, and there certainly wouldn't be enough cover there.

"Fingers crossed that Sheffield United don't recall him because we're certainly enjoying his loan spell, and the way he is going, I'd love for the club, if there's a chance, to make it a permanent deal, whether that's in January or next summer."

Rhys Norrington-Davies has impressed in his loan spell with QPR amid Sheffield United recall concerns

Having dropped out of the first team at Sheffield United with the likes of Harrison Burrows and Sam McCallum offering heavy competition in the left-back role, a loan move to QPR this summer was sanctioned for Norrington-Davies.

The 26-year-old has been an almost ever-present in the side since his loan switch to West London, starting in six of the R's seven league games after joining the club, offering healthy competition to 19-year-old Brazilian left-back Esquerdinha.

With links of a potential early recall on his loan back to Sheffield United, Blades manager Chris Wilder said: "He needs to play. I think everybody knew that for quite a while.

"He's had some unfortunate injuries over the past two and a half years, and everybody wants to play. It’s a good club that he's joined.

"We have to look after number one really, first and foremost. So we'll see how that goes over the next eight, nine, ten weeks and see how that goes. But he’s not doing himself any harm at all, playing well at a good club that's going well in the Championship."

Whether the Welsh international is to be recalled from his loan spell in January remains to be seen, with Wilder coy on the situation, but if the Blades continue to struggle and Norrington-Davies continues to impress, then it's almost certainly not out of the question.