Wycombe manager shares Richard Kone ‘stance’ as QPR beat Leicester to £5m deal

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Despite interest from all across the Championship – at Leicester City and Swansea, to name but two – Queens Park Rangers appear destined to win the race for Wycombe Wanderers striker Richard Kone.

EFL Analysis reported on Monday, via chief football correspondent Graeme Bailey, that QPR had agreed a fee with third-tier Wycombe.

After Swansea submitted a £4.5 million bid for Richard Kone at the end of July, Queens Park Rangers seem to have gazumped their rival suitors from North Wales with a deal which meets the Chairboys’ £5 million valuation.

Leicester City had held talks, while Kone was scouted by Southampton, Ipswich, Middlesbrough and Norwich City too.

But, when asked ahead of Wycombe’s Carabao Cup first-round clash with Leyton Orient on Tuesday evening, Adams Park boss Mike Dodds was in no mood to confirm the departure of his star striker just yet.

Mike Dodds reacts as QPR close in on Wycombe Wanderers striker Richard Kone

Kone made his first appearance of the 2025/26 campaign during Wycombe’s 2-1 defeat by Stockport County on Saturday. The 22-year-old Ivorian had been left out of the opening day clash with Bradford.

All eyes will be on Wycombe’s squad selection for that Leyton Orient fixture, then, as QPR await confirmation that Kone is indeed on his way to Loftus Road.

 “I was honest last week in terms that we had some offers and it was a disruptive week, and I made the decision for him not to include him in the squad [for the Bradford game],” said former Sunderland assistant Dodds.

“Our stance is still the same. Until a club meets a valuation that the ownership group are happy with, he will remain a Wycombe player.”

It appears that with QPR submitting a bid rising to £5 million – an initial £3 million to be paid up-front – Wycombe’s valuation has indeed been met. Should Kone feature against Leyton Orient, then, this is likely to be his farewell outing in a Wanderers jersey.

EFL Analysis can confirm that a move to West London appeals to Richard Kone. A prolific goalscorer in non-league with the Essex-based Athletic Newham, he scored 21 times during an outstanding breakout season in senior football last time out.

Ironically, QPR sold Charlie Kelman to Charlton Athletic earlier in the window.

Kelman was the man who beat Kone to the League One Golden Boot award in May during a sensational loan spell with beaten play-off finalists Orient.

Kone closes in as Queens Park Rangers’ Pape Meissa Ba chase hits a hurdle

It remains to be seen what Kone’s likely arrival means for Pape Meissa Ba, meanwhile.

QPR had hoped to sign Schalke misfit Ba before the 2.Bundesliga campaign kicked off a fortnight ago. And, though the sleeping giants of German football will not stand in his way, a deal weeks in the making has reportedly been delayed due to problems uncovered during Ba’s medical, per WA.

Queens Park Rangers drew 1-1 with Preston during Julian Stephan’s Loftus Road debut on Saturday.

Zan Celar recovered in time to start up front following an injury-hit pre-season, with Stephan insisting that his plans revolve around the availability of a typical, classic centre-forward.

“We will decide how to manage the situation, but we will have a real striker,” said Marti Cifuentes’ successor.

“I prefer to play with a real striker – a real number 9 – and after that organise the team around the number nine.”