Express & Star

QPR are expected to accept West Brom's £4m offer for Matt Phillips

Published
Last updated

Queens Park Rangers are expected to accept a £4m West Brom bid for winger Matt Phillips as the London club try to offload their highest earners.

more

Phillips, who is paid around £25,000 a week at Rangers, is one of the last players left at the club from a period of erratic spending in the top tier.

Manager Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink is also keen to replace those players in order to stamp his own mark on the squad.

Although the Baggies are still waiting to hear back from Rangers, sources in London say the club are willing to sell for that price.

As long as Albion agree terms with Phillips, the deal is expected to go through.

Hasselbaink joined Rangers in December but Baggies chairman Jeremy Peace dislikes doing business in January and despite Albion's long-term interest in Phillips, the club made no bids for him during that window.

The 25-year-old was a target last summer but QPR wanted at least £8m for the winger which Albion weren't willing to pay.

But Phillips, who joined Rangers from Blackpool in 2013 for £5m, has now got just one year left on his contract.

His wages make him one of the highest earners at QPR, and Albion will need to at least match them in order to secure the deal.

Bringing Phillips in so early in the summer would delight head coach Tony Pulis, who is welcoming the players back to the training ground on July 4 for pre-season.

Recruitment chief Nick Hammond said: "If you speak to any manager or head coach, their strong preference is to have players in the building for the start of pre-season so they can work through their fitness programme, they can work on their team shape, and how they want to play and set up.

"That general sort of acclimatisation and getting into the group.

"The reality is that we still get the last week 10 days of the window and it goes completely crazy and I don't see it being any different this year to be honest."

Hasselbaink is also trying to sell Leroy Fer, Steven Caulker, and Sandro this summer after all three high-earners spent some of last season on loan at Premier League clubs in order to help QPR's wage bill.

Albion were given an option to buy Sandro – who came to The Hawthorns on loan - but decided against spending £4m on the defensive midfielder.

[video_expander]

[taboola]