QPR backed to give £5k-a-week star a chance after "staggering" season | OneFootball

Few would have expected Charlie Kelman’s loan deal to got so well – it gives QPR a big decision to make

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...

Charlie Kelman, Leyton Orient and parent club QPR couldn’t have hoped for much more when they signed the striker’s loan agreement last summer.

The 23-year-old has stormed to the top of the League One top-scorer chart with 21 goals in 44 appearances.

Moreover, only one of those goals came from the spot. That, along with his four assists, shows signs of a wicked creative spark.

We asked our QPR Fan Pundit, Louis, whether Kelman might be ready to step up to Championship football at Loftus Road next season.

Kelman deserves another chance at QPR

Speaking to Football League World, Louis said: “The more I think about it, he has to be getting a chance, there's no denying that now.

“The season he's having is actually quite staggering, really. I don't think anyone, even him dropping down into League One, would have expected him to be top goalscorer in the whole division when you've got sides like Birmingham pushing for promotion with Jay Stansfield and players like that, and there you have Charlie Kelman outscoring everyone.

“I've said before that I think from what I've seen of him, and when he's been given an opportunity for us – and that's quite a few opportunities as well, whether that's starting games or coming on as a sub – obviously he's not looked up to it.

“But he's certainly matured and developed big time this season.

“If we were to sign a striker from League One who scored that amount of goals, you'd be happy with it. So, just because it's him, you can't just write him off.

“Yeah, I think he might have to be given a chance in the summer.

“I am still sort of doubtful whether he's good enough for the Championship, and it's just one of those situations where you could give him a chance, he doesn't do anything, and then his value decreases, or we think, ‘right, look, he's had a cracking season, and we can get some money for him here’.

“But it’s such a difficult decision, really. Like I say, you can't ignore what he's done and he’d probably relish trying to make a name for himself at QPR as well, with goals being a problem for us up front.

“Yeah, it's a tough one. I'm sceptical slightly whether he's good enough for the Championship, but then, on the other hand, you can't judge after the season he's had without giving him an opportunity, I think.

“I think he's got to be given a chance. But yeah, it’ll be very interesting to see what happens with him during pre-season and before the start of next season.”

It could bite if QPR don’t give Kelman at shot at the Championship

This is, by a long shot, Kelman’s best season of his senior career.

As Louis’s doubts allude to, it may well be an anomaly, and it may be that he can’t recreate that form in a higher division, but if QPR don’t take the gamble, another side will.

It would be frustrating for Kelman to go back to Loftus Road and fail to carry through the form he’s shown at Orient, but what would be even more frustrating for fans is seeing him sold at the first sign of things clicking for him, only to watch him kick on with one of their division rivals.

With striker Michael Frey being Rangers’ top scorer this season, on just eight goals, it would seem a huge gamble not to give Kelman, who earns an estimated £5k-a-week at QPR, another shot.

It’s not guaranteed to work, but QPR could live to regret not testing Kelman in the Championship next season.