QPR sale concern emerges over ex-Chelsea man - 'we might have to say goodbye' | OneFootball

FLW's R's Fan Pundit thinks Jake Clarke-Salter's time in West London is coming to a close

Queens Park Rangers are surely bracing for a summer of change before heading into their 12th straight Championship campaign.

As such, one player who may be deemed surplus to requirements by Julien Stephan is ex-Chelsea defender Jake Clarke-Salter, who only made ten starts in the league this past season.

The 28-year-old signed what was described as a 'long-term' deal back in 2024, but it's unclear exactly when that is set to expire.

Yes, Clarke‑Salter may have finished the season somewhat strongly, but lingering fitness concerns are now casting doubt over his QPR future.

Queens Park Rangers 'might have to say goodbye' to Jake Clarke-Salter this summer

FLW’s QPR Fan pundit, Louis Moir, has shared his opinion over Clarke-Salter’s long-term future at Loftus Road after another season blighted by injury.

Moir claimed, "Now he’s (Clarke-Salter) come back and played a few games towards the end of last season, it just makes you think now like, well, he might actually be alright to keep around.

"Again, that thought process of will he stay fit. If he stays fit, he’s a massive asset to have, you just can’t trust him," the Fan Pundit added.

The thing is, Clarke‑Salter’s talent is not in question. When he was fit and playing well, Stoke City were among the clubs reportedly interested in him two years ago, as per The Standard, with a potential fee being earmarked between £5m-£10m.

You'd argue that if QPR were to try and sell him now, they won't get anywhere near that amount of money.

"Look, if he stays, and he stays fit, he arguably starts most games. But, it would just be so typical that he has a good pre-season, then the first few games into next year he gets injured," Woodward continued.

"I think it may have got to the point where we might have to say goodbye to him. I’d be surprised if clubs want to spend money on him. We might just have to cut our losses on him."

Obviously, as he joined the club on a free transfer after leaving Chelsea, there'd be no loss in terms of a fee, but perhaps more so the time and effort taken by the R's medical staff to try and him fit.

Why Jake Clarke-Salter can't be 'trusted' at Queens Park Rangers

Moir then detailed how Clarke-Salter’s situation must be compared against the depth QPR already have at the back.

The Fan Pundit told FLW, "Availability is key in the Championship. When you've got Jimmy Dunne, Ronnie Edwards, Mbengue - who, of course, played right-back - but is naturally a centre-half, we got rid of Cook, we might get another one in, we don’t know what’s going to happen with Liam Morrison.

"There are options there, and I just don’t know if we can trust Clarke-Salter to stay fit for a sustained amount of time really, to have an effect on the squad."

According to Capology estimates, Clarke-Salter earns an estimated wage of £10k-per-week, the same estimated figure as Amadou Mbenge. This is apparently more than what Jimmy Dunne earns per week but less than Ronnie Edwards.

Furthermore, across Clarke-Salter’s time at QPR, he’s only played more than 16 matches in a single season once, which was 23/24 when he played 33 times, which is surely a concern in itself.

If Clarke‑Salter can’t be relied upon to stay fit for long stretches, Stephan may prefer to invest in more dependable options rather than keep hoping for his injury fortunes to change.