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Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Sinclair's QPR Loan Only Till Mid-December

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Ben Kosky/Kilburn Times -Blues block Sinc's longer stay

QPR have been told they will not be allowed to keep Chelsea starlet Scott Sinclair at Loftus Road beyond early December.
Sinclair signed for Rangers on a month's loan last week and has already caught the eye in his first two games, scoring in last weekend's 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace.
But any hopes the club had of extending that deal have been scuppered as Chelsea want him back in time for their Carling Cup quarter-final against Liverpool on December 20.
Chelsea's Academy director Neil Bath confirmed: "Scott's spell at QPR will strictly be for a month, no matter how well he does.
"We've sent him on loan as QPR have a very good relationship with Chelsea and we thought it was a good option rather than leaving him in the reserves.
"He benefited greatly last year from Championship football and we're hoping this is going to continue at QPR. By all accounts, Scott's proving what a good goalscorer he's going to be.
"Scott is very much in Chelsea's future plans and we're looking forward to welcoming him back at the end of the month."
Sinclair, who scored his first Chelsea goal in their Carling Cup win over Hull last month, told the Times that Blues boss Avraham Grant wants him available to face Liverpool.
He is also likely to be needed at Stamford Bridge in the new year, when the likes of Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou will be away competing in the African Nations' Cup.
"The manager said hopefully I can play in the Carling Cup, but he wanted me to come here, get a few games under my belt, and more experience for when I go back," said the 18-year-old.
"I've come for a month to work hard, score goals and hopefully push the club up. I think all the boys played well and we were unlucky not to win the game at Palace.
"But we played good football, passing it about and I think that's what the manager's trying to do. As long as we keep doing that, we can move up the table."
Sinclair impressed during his loan spell with Plymouth last season and a number of Rangers' Championship rivals were also keen to borrow him before he opted to move to Loftus Road.
And the teenager admitted that team-mates Michael Mancienne and Ben Sahar - both already on loan at Rangers - helped convince him to tread the same path.
"I spoke to Michael - obviously I know him and Ben - and he was talking about how this was the club to be at, to improve and get more games, and I thought 'yeah, why not?'
"It helps that I've come here and I know a couple of people already. Of course it takes time to get to know the other players, but I'll soon settle down."
Mancienne's long-term future has also been the subject of speculation, with media reports suggesting that Chelsea may be prepared to sell him in the January transfer window.
The defender is at Loftus Road until the end of the season and Bath added that Chelsea would 'assess' his situation once he returned from that loan. Kiburn Times