Mark Warburton wants to keep all four loanees after they help QPR to highest league finish since 2014

BY NICK KITUNO

Mark Warburton has made clear he wants to keep all four of Queens Park Rangers’ loan signings on for next season.

The Hoops brought Charlie Austin, Sam Field, Jordy de Wijs and Stefan Johansen in until the end of the season back in January – moves which helped engineer a major turnaround to their campaign after languishing near the relegation zone.

QPR went from 20th at the end of last year to finishing ninth, their highest league finish since winning promotion to the Premier League in 2014.

Austin was their top scorer that season, with 20 goals, and was on target again as they beat Luton Town 3-1 on the final day of the season. Stefan Johansen also found the net, as did Albert Adomah in stoppage time.

Warburton said: “This sounds a bit stupid but you’re always careful of what you say. I could sit here and say, ‘Player X is outstanding, he’s world class,’ but all I’m saying is in Stefan’s case, and Charlie case, and Jordy and Sam, I think it’s fair to say that we’ve been lucky in terms of the fact that they have adapted to our style of play perfectly.

“It suits their game and they have suited us perfectly, and that doesn’t often happen. You often get loans which are difficult, and young players who can’t adapt, but in this case it generally worked out really well for us.

“The players adapted to it, they embraced the style of play, they are footballers, they want to get on the ball, and play forward, and be brave in their decision-making. All these things that you hear managers say, they sound almost like the same old rhetoric, but the fact is it works. Every party benefited.

“Do they thoroughly enjoy coming to work at QPR? I think the answer is yes, and that is really important to us.”

Asked whether he hopes QPR can keep all four, Warburton added: “I was trying to avoid answering that question! Yeah, I hope very much we can, but you never know, and you’ve got to make sure that you have alternatives.

“As I say, I can’t speak highly enough about the contribution they have made, but also the way all the squad have responded. Let’s see what the summer does.”

PHOTOS: ROB AVIS