Marcus Harness will likely be leaving Portman Road this summer, and the wide man could be the perfect replacement if Willock departs
The playmaker’s contract with Queens Park Rangers finishes at the end of the month and he is yet to agree a new deal with the Hoops ahead of the next campaign.
With the 26-year-old rumoured to be targeted by Norwich City earlier this year, the former Benfica man won’t be short of admirers if he is to leave the club in the following weeks, while Rangers will need to find a replacement for their skilful forward.
One man who could fit the bill has just won promotion to the Premier League with Ipswich Town, but a move for Marcus Harness could fill the hole on the flanks for the upcoming campaign.
Chris Willock helps Queens Park Rangers achieve Championship survival under Marti Cifuentes
Willock has been a key performer for the R’s since his arrival to West London from Portugal in 2020, with 140 appearances for the side in the Championship during that time.
The creative outlet has found the back of the net 20 times for the Hoops in his four seasons with the club, with some vital strikes helping Rangers avoid Championship relegation in the most-recent campaign.
After starting the campaign sluggishly under Gareth Ainsworth, QPR moved to make Marti Cifuentes boss in October 2023, with the Spaniard spearheading a survival mission which was achieved with gusto by the end of the campaign.
Willock was one of many key protagonists in the battle against the drop, with a run of three goals in as many games across November and December helping his side pick up valuable points, before grabbing the match-winner against Rotherham United in February.
His creativity will be a big miss for Cifuentes ahead of the next campaign, having played his part in a reinvigorated R’s team that had plenty of attacking verve by the end of the campaign.
The Spaniard has made his love for Willock clear in the months he has been in charge of the side, with the attacker’s influence on his team’s output not going unnoticed by his boss.
| Chris Willock’s Championship stats for QPR, as per transfermarkt | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Apps | Goals | Assists |
| 2023/24 | 39 | 4 | 4 |
| 2022/23 | 28 | 6 | 2 |
| 2021/22 | 35 | 7 | 11 |
| 2020/21 | 38 | 3 | 5 |
Cifuentes said in April, via London News Online: “He knows how much we rate him, and I think he knows how much we like him.
“But what is going to happen in the future I don’t know. What is sure is that he showed today that he loves this club and that he wanted to play here and help us.”
Marcus Harness Ipswich Town future after Premier League promotion
While Willock is set to leave the club, his absence will pave the way for new heroes to be made at Loftus Road, and a player of Harness’ ilk would likely be just as productive in the R’s setup.
The former Portsmouth man has made a name for himself by tormenting EFL defenders over the course of his career, with his pace down either flank creating all sorts of mischief in the final third.
The 28-year-old didn’t get as many minutes as he would have liked in the Ipswich’s promotion campaign last season; with just seven of his 34 appearances coming from the start of matches in the Championship.
While he made plenty of impact as a substitute – not least with the winner in a 3-2 victory against Plymouth Argyle and draw-earning brace against Birmingham City – the wide man will have hoped for more game time after helping his side win promotion from League One in the previous campaign.
With that being said, it looks unlikely that Harness will have much of a part to play in the Tractor Boys’ campaign in the top tier next season, and a summer move away from Portman Road looks like the best move for all involved.
The former Burton Albion man is about to enter the final year of his contract in Suffolk, and the East Anglian side may look to cash in on him while they still can, or even allow him to walk away for free to free up space in their squad for players with more top level experience.
Harness has shown what he can do when given opportunities in the first team at any of his former clubs, with his energy and pace in the wide areas a menace for defences to deal with, while his delivery into the penalty area creates plenty of chances for his teammates.
His current situation could play right into Rangers’ hands over the summer, with attacking personnel needed to join the Cifuentes revolution at Loftus Road, with plenty expected after the Spaniard’s early showings in English football.
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