QPR news: Defender exit, R's set for £500k Leicester City windfall, Marti Cifuentes "disrespectful" claim made | OneFootball

We rounded up all the latest news from QPR.

A new era is underway at Queens Park Rangers following the appointment of Julien Stephan as the club's new head coach.

It was a relatively underwhelming season for QPR as they finished 15th in the Championship table last term, but there was big drama ahead of the final game of the campaign as head coach Marti Cifuentes was placed on gardening leave after his representatives reportedly held talks with West Bromwich Albion over their vacant managerial position.

Cifuentes' departure from Loftus Road was officially confirmed last month, with former Rennes and Strasbourg manager Stephan being announced as his replacement, and the 44-year-old has brought in three new signings so far this summer.

In addition to those new arrivals, the R's have also tied a number of senior players down to new contracts in recent weeks, including Joe Walsh, Murphy Cooper, Jimmy Dunne, Steve Cook, Ziyad Larkeche, Sam Field and Michael Frey, and the West London outfit are likely to do much more business before the end of the transfer window.

As the countdown to the new season continues, we rounded up all the latest QPR news.

Hervertton Santos completes QPR exit

As QPR continue their recruitment drive, one player who was brought in by Cifuentes last summer is heading out the exit door.

Defender Hevertton Santos joined the R's last July from Estrela da Amadora, but he made just nine appearances in the first half of last season, with Dunne and Newcastle United loanee Harrison Ashby regularly preferred ahead of him.

After falling down the pecking order at Loftus Road, Santos joined Vitoria de Guimaraes on loan in January, but he found his game time equally limited there, and after he featured just eight times, the club decided against taking up their option to sign him permanently for a fee of £1.7 million.

Santos was unlikely to be part of Stephan's plans with the Hoops next season following the arrival of Kealey Adamson, and the 24-year-old has now returned to the Portuguese top flight after finalising a season-long loan move to Gil Vicente.

Just weeks after his departure from QPR was announced, Cifuentes is set to make a swift return to management with Leicester City, and his appointment could be confirmed by the end of the week.

The likes of Chris Wilder, Gary O'Neil, Sean Dyche and Danny Rohl had all been linked with the Foxes following the departure of Ruud van Nistelrooy last month, but Cifuentes is now expected to take over at the King Power Stadium.

That could be good news for the R's as, according to The Sun, they are set to receive £500,000 from Leicester for Cifuentes, with the Spaniard's exit agreement stating that his former club are entitled to receive compensation when he accepts a new job.

Given the Foxes' current financial restrictions, it had been claimed that Cifuentes was willing to pay some of that fee himself in order to accelerate the move, but there have been conflicting reports on that, with West London Sport revealing that the compensation payment must either come from a club or national federation.

Simon Jordan slams Marti Cifuentes ahead of Leicester City move

As Cifuentes prepares to start a new chapter in his career at Leicester, former Crystal Palace owner and talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan took aim at the 43-year-old this week for his treatment of QPR ahead of his exit, claiming that he showed a lack of respect to the club by eyeing up other jobs while still under contract.

"If you're at Queens Park Rangers and you're batting your eyelids at other people and wanting to get out of the door and creating situations like that, then you do have an element of disloyalty about you, don't you?" Jordan said on talkSPORT.

"Hence the reasons why he was put into a situation where he was consequenced by QPR, so you have to price that into the equation.

"If indeed he's going to make a contribution towards it, I imagine they'll pay him less of a salary, so rather than having to pony up any money, it'll be taken out of his upside, which is the salary he'll be getting at Leicester, if indeed they want him."

"I do think it's disrespectful," Jordan continued.

"That's why I had issues with Marco Silva, and that's why I had the issues I had at the time with Gary Rowett, because I think there's a way to operate.

"Of course, when you've done wonderful things and you've been there for a long period of time, you've earned the currency and you've got your stripes.

"No one would say that Thomas Frank being available and having an ear for Tottenham was anything other than the fact he's done his job at Brentford. There was an opportunity and everyone leaves amicably.

"When you don't do that, and you disrespect those who have given you an opportunity, and you show disloyalty, that's the reason why you get my reaction."

QPR warned against Paul Smyth call despite Kwame Poku arrival

QPR signed in-demand Peterborough United winger Kwame Poku for a fee of £900,000 plus add-ons last month, and some have questioned what the 23-year-old's arrival means for Paul Smyth, who has now entered the final year of his contract at Loftus Road.

Smyth scored just two goals and provided four assists in 47 appearances for the R's last season, but FLW's QPR fan pundit Louis Moir believes the club should not look to cash in on the Northern Irishman this summer, despite winning the race for Poku.

"I could potentially see Paul Smyth signing a new deal, he's more than happy at QPR. He loves playing for the club, that's clear to see," Louis told FLW.

"I have been a critic of his. With his pace and directness as a player that is crucial to have, but you look at the output, the goals and assists, there is nothing there essentially.

"If we want to move on and progress, we need better players in that possible. Obviously, we are doing that with the signing of Poku.

"I can see him signing a new deal, but it is whether he is happy to maybe become more of a bench player or an impact player, which is what he is best at to be honest. We have seen it a few times where he has come off the bench, he's probably the best player you want coming off the bench in certain situations.

"There could be potential he is used more as a left-winger this season, and that is where he was best at Leyton Orient instead of the right-hand side where we seem to have good options.

"If he was to add goals and assists to his game, with his pace and ability to get past defenders, he would be a top, top player.

"I think it would maybe be silly to cash in. There is an important part for him in this squad, maybe off the bench a lot more."