How long is actually left on Julien Stephan’s QPR contract as exit threat emerges | OneFootball

The Hoops boss is wanted back in his home country after just one season at Loftus Road

Queens Park Rangers' season has been one of inconsistency, and they have very little but pride to play for in the final week of the Championship campaign.

As has so often been the case in recent years at Loftus Road, the Hoops find themselves in a mid-table position in the second tier, which some will certainly have taken after the uncertainty that surrounded the club 12 months ago when Marti Cifuentes was placed on gardening leave ahead of his impending move to Leicester City.

The Spaniard, who has since been dismissed by the Foxes in their well-documented second successive relegation campaign from the Premier League to League One, was eventually replaced by Julien Stephan.

Although the chequebook has hardly been flowing in this part of West London in recent times, particularly as the Hoops have, for an extended period, counted the cost of overspending in the early part of the 2010s as they bounced between the Premier League and Championship, the Frenchman was able to recruit several players within his first transfer window, with the additions of Kwame Poku and Richard Kone, in particular, just two of those which stood out on the surface.

After a dismal opening to life in the English game for the former Stade Rennais and RC Strasbourg boss, which included a 7-1 defeat at Coventry City in the season's third match, Rangers subsequently bounced back and were among the play-off places in October, but they couldn't make such a position last.

And, it now remains to be seen if Stephan will last beyond his first campaign in W12 as exit talk has emerged. With that said, Football League World have looked at exactly how long the 45-year-old is under contract with his current employers.

How long Julien Stephan has left on his QPR contract as exit talk emerges

Indeed, it has come to light through French journalist, Mohamed Toubache-Ter, that Stephan is on the radar of a club back in his home country.

Although the full identity of the club is yet to be revealed, the aforementioned reporter outlines that they are a Ligue 1 side, albeit not LOSC Lille, even though head coach, Bruno Genesio, has been under pressure at recent times at the Stade Pierre Mauroy.

Even though the length of Stephan's contract was not disclosed by Rangers at the time of his appointment, it has been widely reported that the Rennes native signed a two-year deal with the Championship side in June 2026.

As such, he will be entering the final year of said deal, if an exit does not come to pass, when the 2026/27 season officially commences on July 1st.

At the time of his appointment, Stephan declared: “I feel very proud and excited to join QPR,” but now there are clouds of uncertainty over his future.

Rangers also haven't enjoyed the best end to the Championship season, although, in the eyes of some, they could be slightly forgiven for a lack of victories as their status in the division hasn't been in any question for some time.

Queens Park Rangers have already been linked with replacements for Julien Stephan

At the same time during which exit talk surrounds Stephan, the R's have already been linked with a potential replacement for his services.

That came when Sport Witness reported that the West London outfit, along with Middlesbrough and Watford, hold an interest in Filipe Luis, who was dismissed by Brazilian Serie A outfit, Flamengo, in March, despite a largely successful stint at the club.

However, it remains to be seen what unfolds in this managerial saga, with the aforementioned Hornets also set to part ways with Ed Still at the end of the campaign, meaning yet another new manager or head coach will have to be sourced by the Hertfordshire club under the controversial ownership of the Pozzo family.

It will also be intriguing to see how a potential exit of Stephan is received by those in West London, as, unsurprisingly, his managerial style has split opinion across the season, which is best reflected by the club's current position in the standings.

However, if he was to depart and perform strongly back in Ligue 1, there could be an overriding sense of regret.