Smith and Mancienne Supposedly Returning to QPR on Loan

-
Ben Kosky/Kilburn Times June 5, 2007 -Loan Rangers to return

Michael Mancienne will rejoin QPR on loan next season

QPR have lined up a deal to bring back Chelsea pair Jimmy Smith and Michael Mancienne on six-month loans next season.

The duo will spend pre-season training with the Premiership side and move back to Loftus Road until the end of the year, when Chelsea may recall them as cover during the African Nations' Cup.

And, should the Blues decide to sell either Smith or Mancienne in the meantime, Rangers would gain 10 per cent of the transfer fee under the terms of the agreement.

"The agreement with Chelsea is very good for QPR and it works in our favour financially," declared Rs chairman Gianni Paladini.

"Suppose someone buys Mancienne for £5m, we get £500,000 out of that and that applies to any player they sell who's with us, we get 10 per cent.

"The response from Chelsea is that they're happy to give us both of them for six months. That can only benefit QPR - without the three Arsenal players, there's no way Birmingham City would have gone up last season."

Rangers' growing links with their traditional enemy have drawn concern from fans, particularly since José Mourinho's call for Chelsea to field a 'B' team in the Football League last season.

But Paladini insists QPR's relationship with their neighbours makes good financial sense - and points to the sale of teenager Dean Parrett as proof that Chelsea have no say in affairs at Loftus Road.

The England under-18 midfielder was wanted by Chelsea, but instead moved to Tottenham in January in a deal that could eventually earn the Rs up to £2m.

"Chelsea offered us £500,000 for Parrett and we didn't take it because it wasn't a good deal," said Paladini.

"I know the fans don't like Chelsea, but you've got to look at the business position. For instance, it used to cost us £50,000 to film every training session or match.

"Chelsea did all that themselves last season because they wanted to know everything about Mancienne and Smith. So that's a free service for QPR.

"Also we can send our players to Chelsea to train any time we want, or send our coaching staff there to look at what they've got."

Paladini also revealed that manager John Gregory was willing to fast-track Parrett - who only turned 15 last November - into the first-team in a last-ditch effort to keep him at QPR.

"John was prepared to make Parrett the youngest player in the Football League, to give him his debut, and we offered him a two-year contract, but there was no chance whatsoever to keep him.

"We could have gone to arbitration and maybe ended up with £200,000. Instead, we got £1m and 25 per cent of any sell-on, so it's not a bad deal for a boy of 15."

Despite the loss of Parrett, Rangers have been more successful at holding on to some of their other youngsters, with three members of their title-winning under-18 side signing professional contracts in recent weeks.

Left-back Andrew Howell, who captained the under-18s last season, and central defender Aaron Goode both agreed one-year deals last week, following in the footsteps of midfielder Kieron St Aimie, who signed at the end of last season. Kilburn Times