Pundit tells QPR to stall decision over 18-goal in-form striker with ‘potential’ – Details
QPR could have an interesting to decision to make this summer when in-form striker Charlie Kelman returns from his loan spell with Leyton Orient. Kelman is now 23 years of age, and he is yet to make a big impact at Loftus Road having joined from Southend United as a youngster and graduating to the first team.
Kelman has spent plenty of time out on loan, and his latest spell has seen him impress with League One playoff hopefuls Leyton Orient. The England-born former United States international has scored 18 and assisted four times for Orient this season, and he is making his care to be a starter at QPR next season.
But whether Marti Cifuentes will take him seriously is another question, and it’s clear Kelman will have options if he is not wanted in West London. The striker penned a new contract with the Hoops last year, but it’s not clear how long that deal is valued for,, with the duration of the contract undisclosed.
An interesting decision awaits Cifuentes and QPR, and that’s something EFL pundit David Prutton has highlighted, telling Football League World: “Kelman’s an intriguing one as he’s been around the EFL for a while now and it’s only really been this season that he’s started to take off. You get that with strikers sometimes though.
“You’ve got to wait and see whether this purple patch can be sustainable, but of course, given his goalscoring exploits at Leyton Orient, QPR fans will be wondering what happens next. I think you could throw him in next season, maybe give him half a season to see what he’s like and show what ability he can bring in a hoops shirt. He has potential, but a bit of patience will be needed for what they’ve seen so far.”
Kelman will surely want a permanent move this summer if QPR don’t plan to use him, given he is now 23 years of age, while he has already completed five loan spells. The striker is likely to feel he is best served settling down with a club as he looks to continue his development and make a name for himself.
What has Cifuentes said about Kelman?
Cifuentes spoke about Kelman’s situation recently, although he applied a rather collective view on the in-form striker, saying: “When we send any player on loan the main target is that they can play, can develop and progress. That’s the case with him and it’s not just about the goals but the level of his performances has been very good. Hopefully he will finish the season very strongly, and we will decide what’s the next step with him.”
Kelman will be hoping to fire Orient to the League One playoffs before returning to QPR, with Orient currently in ninth place, five points off Huddersfield Town in sixth place. Richie Wellens’ side will feel they have every chance of sneaking into the top six, though they will realistically chasing down Huddersfield Town and Stockport County, while the likes of Bolton and Reading are also in the mix.
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