QPR should be open to cashing in to give Marti Cifuentes new weapon in January | OneFootball

QPR should sell Zan Celar to fund a potential move.

Queens Park Rangers have long struggled to find a reliable goalscoring centre-forward.

Since the glory days of Charlie Austin in the mid-2010s, the Hoops have been wasteful in front of goal, with a string of forwards given opportunities that have largely gone unfulfilled.

After Austin's departure in 2016, no player has managed to score more than 14 goals in a season, with England playmaker Eberechi Eze being the closest, hitting that mark during his time at the club.

Once again, this season, the problem persists, with QPR's top goalscorer Michael Frey managing just five goals so far.

While the attackers haven't been helped by injuries, more was expected from the likes of Frey and Zan Celar, both of whom are fully-fledged internationals.

That will make January an interesting period as Marti Cifuentes will ultimately need a new addition up front to bolster his hopes of a strong 2025. This desire could be aided by the potential sale of the Slovenian striker, who was reportedly offered to Werder Bremen.

QPR's Zan Celar should be moved on

Having moved Sinclair Armstrong on to Bristol City in the summer, QPR snatched up Celar from FC Lugano in Switzerland, which at the time looked like a good deal.

During his time at the Cornaredo Stadium, the Slovenian international netted an impressive 51 goals in 118 games, making it reasonable to expect he could replicate that form in Championship football.

Unfortunately, it hasn't turned out that way, with it taking 17 league games for the forward to register his first goal for the Hoops. While he managed to net twice in that match against Cardiff, a hamstring injury sustained a few games later against Norwich City has sidelined him since, leaving his return date uncertain.

That frustrating news has been followed by reports emerging out of Germany, linking Celar to a move to Werder Bremen.

According to Deichstube, the River Islanders have declined the chance to sign the 25-year-old due to concerns over his injury.

Since then, Cifuentes' has spoken out stating that he would "of course" like to keep Celar beyond the end of this month.

While this may be the case, the R's should entertain an approach from another club if it enables QPR to secure a new forward.

It is difficult to write off Celar completely given he was just about finding his feet prior to the injury he sustained against the Canaries. Despite this, his two goals in 22 appearances don't bode well, and it could be another case similar to that of Lyndon Dykes, where the goals never do arrive.

While his contract length is currently unclear, you would imagine he has a minimum of 18 months left on his deal, meaning QPR could still sell him for a similar fee to what they paid.

With his prowess in Switzerland evident, a return to familiar territory could be a viable option for Celar, allowing the Hoops to potentially reinvest funds in securing a more reliable striker.

This time, they must ensure they get the deal right, as fans' frustrations over the team's lack of efficiency in front of goal have reached a boiling point. Last month, resident Hoops fan pundit Louis Moir emphasised that signing a new striker is "such a priority" for the club.

This is a pivotal month for QPR then and they must build on their good run of form by making solid additions in attack to help Marti Cifuentes. Keeping Celar is by no means the end of the world but should the opportunity arise, cashing in and looking for a replacement may be no bad thing.