QPR Manager Makes Admission Regarding Defenders Future

Martí Cifuentes has hinted that defender Osman Kakay may have played his final game for QPR, via an interview with West London Sport.

The Sierra Leonean international began this season as the club’s first-choice right-back under Gareth Ainsworth and has played 23 times for the R’s in the Sky Bet Championship this season (via transfermarkt).

However, he has featured just nine times since Cifuentes took over as manager of QPR in October 2023, with his last appearance for the Super Hoops coming in a 2-0 defeat to Millwall in December.

When asked if Kakay is no longer part of his plans, Cifuentes told West London Sport:

“Well, when you look at the squad and the selections over the last weeks, it’s obviously the case.

“It’s nothing against Ozzie. I will not be the one judging what he has done at the club for many years. He has been proving that he is a very competent player.

“But obviously we are in a situation where there is a lot of competition to get into the squad at right full-back.

“It was Reggie at the start playing a lot, then since Jimmy came in and started to play in that position he has been doing really well and giving us another dimension in terms of the things he can give to us.”

Kakay at the bottom of the pecking order

Despite being first-choice under Ainsworth, Kakay lost his place in the starting lineup to Reggie Cannon in December.

Even when Cannon missed QPR’s 1-0 win over Bristol City in February due to illness, Cifuentes opted to play central defender Jimmy Dunne at right-back instead of Kakay.

The Irishman has now cemented himself as first-choice right-back at QPR after a string of impressive performances, meaning Kakay has now fallen below both Dunne and Cannon in the pecking order at Loftus Road.

Kakay instead featured for QPR’s Development side this week during a 7-0 win over Crewe Alexandra U21.

End of an era for Kakay at QPR?

Kakay has been at the West London club for 20 years having progressed through the youth ranks.

He made his first-team debut just two days before his 20th birthday in an EFL Cup second-round win over Rochdale in 2016, and has since gone on the play 113 games for QPR in all competitions.

However, with his contract set to expire in the summer, it looks highly unlikely that he will be returning to Loftus Road next season.

Could Kakay be one of several players to depart this summer?

Cifuentes looks to have made his mind up on Kakay, however, he still has several key decisions to make before the start of next season.

The contracts of Dunne, Chris Willock, Sinclair Armstrong, Elijah Dixon-Bonner, Asmir Begovic, Jordan Archer, and Albert Adomah are all set to expire this summer also (via transfermarkt), with no word from the club yet on any plans for new deals.

On top of this, Isaac Hayden and Joe Hodge will both return to their parent clubs once their loans expire at the end of the season, therefore it could be a busy summer of incomings and outgoings for QPR.