QPR 'to make fresh approach' to land midfield target as Sheffield Wednesday 'learn asking price'

The clock is ticking for Championship clubs as they look to get prepared in time for the start of the new season. We are now just two weeks away from the big kick-off, and clubs will be rounding off their friendly fixtures over the coming week.

Millwall beat Real Murcia on Friday, while QPR suffered a surprise defeat to League One club Reading in Berkshire. As both clubs continue their summer preparations, we have rounded up all the latest news and transfer rumours surrounding the Championship.

Varane update

QPR are still said to be pushing to strike a deal for reported transfer target Jonathan Varane. La Nueva Espana say the Hoops are pushing to land the Sporting Gijon star having struggled to agree over a fee for the midfielder up to this point.

It’s claimed QPR are now readying a new offer for Varane, although it is unclear how much they will offer as they bid to get a deal done in time for the new season.

Wednesday’s Ugbo blow

Sheffield Wednesday have suffered a blow in their bid to land last season’s loan striker Ike Ugbo on a permanent deal. According to Alan Nixon on Patreon, Troyes want as much as £4.5million for the frontman.

Nixon adds that Wednesday are not willing to pay that much and that a compromise will need to be found if Danny Rohl is to land his ideal striker target this summer.

Cifuentes on Reading defeat

QPR boss Marti Cifuentes has been speaking about his side’s defeat to Reading on Saturday. He told club media: “This was a very good test for us and we can learn a lot from this game. It was good preparation for what can happen in the Championship.

“I said to the guys we got clear chances and we only conceded one shot on our goal, which was from one of our mistakes. That’s how the game works. It is not about being nicer or better, it is about showing it in the score and today we didn’t show the difference in the quality.

“We can take a lot of positives in the sense that we played against a very specific way of playing because Reading were so aggressive. They weren’t perhaps very interested in having a lot of possession but about counter pressing, about trying to be very high in the pitch, and there were lots of breaks and lots of free-kicks.

“I could see the frustration of our players, especially in the last 20 minutes, and we have to be better than that. It was a good test and to learn that mistakes count a lot – today we made one, and that is why we lost the game because we had enough chances to win.”

The Hoops are next in action against Premier League side Brighton next weekend, and Cifuentes will want to see progress from his side in their last friendly ahead of facing West Brom in their Championship opener the following weekend at Loftus Road.