Crystal Palace transfer tug of war is set to bank QPR in excess of £10 million this summer

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QPR have had a fairly inconsistent and unremarkable season, though credit must be given for the way they moved away from the relegation zone after a tough start to the campaign.

Marti Cifuentes has got his team grinding out results here and there for the most part but his side have lost five of their last six fixtures in the Championship, drawing the other. It is seeing their season fizzle out at present.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
11	BlackburnBlackburn	39	15	7	17	42	41	1	52
12	Sheffield WednesdaySheffield Wednesday	39	14	10	15	54	60	-6	52
13	MillwallMillwall	39	13	12	14	37	40	-3	51
14	PrestonPreston	39	10	17	12	39	46	-7	47
15	QPRQPR	39	11	12	16	45	53	-8	45
16	SwanseaSwansea	39	12	9	18	40	51	-11	45
17	PortsmouthPortsmouth	39	12	9	18	47	61	-14	45
18	Stoke CityStoke City	39	10	12	17	40	52	-12	42

A 3-1 loss to Stoke City on Saturday brought their winless stretch to six games, leaving them 15th in the table. Although they have played Sheffield United, West Brom, Middlesbrough, and Leeds United in this recent run, which is a tricky run of fixtures to have in one spell.

Next up for QPR is a crucial home clash against Cardiff City this weekend, which could ensure safety or see them dragged into a relegation scrap ahead of the final six games. If the Hoops don’t turn around their form, then their current total of 45 points might not be enough to survive.

• READ MORE: Championship play-off dates, fixtures, and teams in Premier League promotion mix

QPR set for financial windfall from Eberechi Eze this summer

QPR will be hoping they can still turn around these bad results and end the campaign on a high note in order to rebuild optimism surrounding the team ahead of 2025/26 season and another building job this summer.

There’s a decent chance that 45 points won’t be enough to stay up this year, so Rangers need at least one more win to ensure their safety. That said, the future is bright in some ways.

They have some of the best wonderkids around at the moment, but have also had plenty of talent come through their ranks in years gone by. Perhaps the shiniest of the jewels is Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze.

With 10 England caps to his name, the £16 million fee with £4 million in add-ons that the Premier League side paid in August 2020 is looking more and more of a bargain every week, however, the R’s will be delighted that they have a 20% sell-on clause that they hold, per Sky Sports.

That’s because, according to The Mirror, the Crystal Palace talent has a £68 million release clause in his contract, and this will likely be reactivated in the summer. Meanwhile, Caught Offside have outlined Arsenal and Liverpool are set to do battle for his signature this summer for around £60 million.

Per Transfermarkt, Eze’s market value is €55 million, which is around £46.7 million. And, even if his release clause is not met, or if clubs try to get the midfielder — who is soon to be 27 — under the current fees being banded around, QPR can still expect at least £10 million to come their way this summer for Eze.

It looks increasingly likely that the England international will be playing elsewhere next season, with Palace unlikely to get into Europe without the small matter of FA Cup victory. QPR could bank anywhere between around £10 million and £15 million in that instance, if the mooted fees are to be believed.

• READ MORE: EFL Championship’s all-time top scorers as journeyman sneaks into top ten and Sheffield United legend tops the charts

Eze is one of the EFL’s great success stories in recent times

Eze’s move from QPR to Crystal Palace in 2020 was one of the most astute signings in the Premier League at the time, but many clubs missed an opportunity by not pursuing him more aggressively and allowing Palace to win the race.

At QPR, Eze showcased his undeniable talent as one of the best players in the Championship, contributing to 14 goals and eight assists in the 2019/20 season. His technical ability, flair on the ball, and composure in tight spaces made him a standout, with his vision and creativity frequently unlocking defences.

Not only that, but he had enormous potential as well, which meant he would retain resale value if a top-flight side unlocked more of that through development, as Palace have managed to do.

His versatility meant he was able to operate both as a No. 10 or cutting inside from wide positions and he has become one of the Premier League’s best players and a regular player in England squads, too.

Now, that money QPR bank could be huge for the side next season, so long as they avoid any relegation worries this term. At various points in the season, you could have argued that QPR were in danger of relegation, while at other times, they seemed to have a genuine shot at securing a place in the play-offs.

It has very much been an up-and-down campaign. But with seven games to go, they seem destined for an 11th successive season in the second tier. In order for Cifuentes to continue building this summer, though, they will have to retain their best and brightest players this summer.

That includes Jimmy Dunne, who will be hard to keep, as we revealed in In an EFL Analysis exclusive. Building around him with the Eze money will be huge.