"Simply cannot afford" - QPR urged to take firm deadline day stance on Clarke-Salter & Ilias Chair | OneFootball

FLW's QPR fan pundit believes the club must not sell defender Jake Clarke-Salter or midfielder Ilias Chair on deadline day.

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…

It could be a nervous end to the transfer window for Queens Park Rangers, who have a couple of star players that other clubs would no doubt like to buy.

After securing safety in the Championship last season following a remarkable turnaround under Marti Cifuentes, it has been a busy summer for the R's, with eight new players arriving at Loftus Road so far.

A number of players were released at the end of their contracts, including the likes of Asmir Begovic, Jordan Archer, Osman Kakay, Andre Dozzell, Chris Willock and Albert Adomah, while the club have also sold two of their star strikers, with Sinclair Armstrong joining Bristol City for a fee believed to be just under £2 million and Lyndon Dykes making the move to Birmingham City for a reported fee of £1 million.

With the transfer window slamming shut later on today, the Hoops will be hoping to avoid any further exits, but two players who could attract interest on deadline day are defender Jake Clarke-Salter and midfielder Ilias Chair.

Clarke-Salter has been linked with Stoke City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Crystal Palace and Burnley this summer, and although speculation over his future has gone quiet in recent weeks, it is possible that one of his suitors could make a late bid.

Chair, who scored seven goals and provided eight assists in 44 games last season, is yet to feature this campaign due to a back injury, but it was claimed last week that Leeds United are weighing up a move for the 26-year-old as they search for a replacement for Georginio Rutter following his departure to Brighton & Hove Albion.

QPR warned not to sell Jake Clarke-Salter or Ilias Chair before 11pm on Friday

FLW's QPR fan pundit Louis Moir says that while he would like to see one or two new additions arrive at Loftus Road on deadline day, keeping hold of Clarke-Salter and Chair should be the priority for the club.

"I think the one thing that we just cannot afford to do on deadline day is sell either Jake Clarke-Salter or Ilias Chair because of how late it is," Louis said.

"I say those two because they're the two that would probably interest clubs the most and have value about them.

"With it being this late on, you simply cannot afford to lose either one of them at this stage.

"If we were to lose one, I presume the club will have a plan to sign a replacement, but how hard would it be to get one over the line on deadline day? "If that was to happen, it would be near on impossible. "If we avoid selling anyone important like Jake Clarke-Salter and Ilias Chair, then that would be very pleasing to know that we've got them both until at least the January window. "When Ilias Chair is back fit, he's going to add so much more, he's the best player at the club, and with Jake Clarke-Salter's performances last season, if he can stay fit, those are two massive players. "I think if we avoid selling them on deadline day, myself and a lot of fans would be quite happy in terms of outgoings at the club.

"With incomings, you'd want maybe one or two more coming in on the day, but we cannot sell anyone important now."

QPR will be hopeful of avoiding late Jake Clarke-Salter and Ilias Chair drama

While R's supporters will be concerned about the prospect of late bids for Clarke-Salter or Chair, it does seem likely that the pair will remain at Loftus Road.

Clarke-Salter was strongly linked with Wolves earlier in the summer, but the Premier League side no longer seem to be pursuing a move for the defender, while it would be a huge surprise if the Hoops were to sell their star man Chair with so little time to find a replacement, and the fact the Morocco international is currently injured is likely to deter clubs from making a bid.