'Terrific' QPR star could miss Sheffield Wednesday and Millwall clashes amid injury nightmare

QPR forward Ilias Chair is set for an extended period on the sidelines with a back injury that has kept him out of the opening fixtures of the 2024/25 campaign.

The Morocco international was the key man for the R's last season with seven goals and eight assists for the side, his influence hailed as ‘terrific’ by Marti Cifuentes, but is yet to feature this time out. Chair had been involved in pre-season with the London club but was absent from friendlies against Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton and Reading.

The winger was then omitted from the matchday squad for the Championship opener against West Brom and was nowhere to be seen against Cambridge United in the Carabao Cup or in the draw against Sheffield United on Saturday. Speaking after picking up a point at Bramall Lane, QPR head coach Cifuentes admitted that the injury is worse than first thought.

He said: “Perhaps we thought it could be less aggressive, but unfortunately it’s a lower back issue that will keep him away for some more weeks.

“I said we were waiting for some tests – and unfortunately the tests showed the development is more or less as we expected. I’m always optimistic and thought it might be a faster process, but the reality is that it’s a bone bruise and it takes time.”

In those quotes, relayed by West London Sport, the Catalan boss avoided putting a fixed return date on Chair's problem but the report suggests that the player could be facing a total of 10 weeks on the sidelines. The forward has been nursing the problem since July 19, which would suggest a potential return at the end of September.

The influential star could therefore not only miss upcoming league and cup fixtures against Plymouth Argyle and Luton Town but also matches after the international break against Sheffield Wednesday and Millwall. That will be a blow for Cifuentes, but the R's are boosted by a recent double transfer swoop for two new winger acquisitions.