QPR chief rules out Eze move despite Crystal Palace and Brighton interest

QPR chairman Amit Bhatia says the club have no intention of selling the likes of Ebere Eze in January.

Crystal Palace and Brighton are among clubs to have been eyeing young forward Eze, who has gone from strength to strength since being picked up by the R’s in 2016 after being released by Millwall.

Rangers have this week cemented Luke Freeman’s future at Loftus Road, with the playmaker extending his contract until 2021.

There was sure to be interest in Freeman when the transfer window opens in January, with Middlesbrough having had offers for him rejected during the summer.

But Freeman will be staying – and Bhatia has suggested that any interest in Eze is also likely to be rebuffed.

West London Sport reported earlier this year that Palace and Brighton were taking an interest in Eze, whose progress has continued this season.

But with QPR under a transfer embargo in January as part of the deal which settled their long-running FFP dispute, the club are unwilling to let anyone go.

“As far as January is concerned, no-one comes in and no-one goes out,” Bhatia told the Evening Standard.

“We can’t afford to let anyone go because there are a lot of restrictions about bringing anyone in. For me, in the next window we are neither a buying or selling club.

“We want to retain the squad that we have. We believe it is working now and we don’t want to disrupt that, to rock the boat. The quieter January is, the better.”