'Bid made' - QPR offer £1m for player wanted by Norwich City

QPR have stepped up transfer interest in Sporting de Gijon midfielder Jonathan Varane with a £1 million bid sent to the Segunda Division side ahead of the upcoming Championship season.

It's been a busy summer at Loftus Road so far with defenders Hevertton and Liam Morrison joining goalkeeper Paul Nardi to strengthen at the back. Meanwhile, striker Zan Celar will add extra firepower up front.

Next for Marti Cifuentes is believed to be the recruitment of a winger to replace Chris Willock and a defensive midfielder following the expiry of Issac Hayden's loan deal.

There has been talk that the R's would strike a deal with Newcastle United to bring Hayden back to London on a free transfer, but now attention appears to have turned to Varane.

L'Equipe reports that QPR have submitted a bid for the 22-year-old with the Championship outfit 'really pleased' by the prospect of a deal. The midfielder is the half brother of former Manchester United and Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane.

The report adds that QPR have competition from French side Metz while second-tier rivals Norwich City have also been credited with transfer interest in the past. Spanish outlet El Comercio had previously claimed that QPR submitted a £1.7 million for Varane but that it had been rejected.

That report added that the R's held some hesitancy over the player due to a lack of game time last term. Varane racked up fewer than 900 minutes in 25 appearances across all competitions for Sporting de Gijon last season.

The Canaries were named as potential suitors in January. The Pink Un reported that the club were trying to 'thrash out' a winter move around Deadline Day with the outlet adding that the Spanish club had a €10 million (around £8.5 million) release clause in place for the player.