QPR were 'interested' in shock late move for Sheffield United loanee alongside Femi Seriki after £3m decision

Queens Park Rangers were linked with a last-ditch move for Femi Seriki on Monday and post-deadline reports have now suggested another Sheffield United defender was on their radar.

Seriki emerged as a possible target for QPR on Monday evening, adding a potential late twist to United’s well-documented pursuit of Jimmy Dunne. The Blades saw an offer for the 27-year-old knocked back by their Championship rivals and after being informed of his £3million price-tag, opted to look elsewhere.

While reports of interest in Seriki suggested a move was not entirely off the table, given he’d likely be signed to replace Dunne at right-back, United had no intention of losing the 21-year-old. But he was not the only Bramall Lane regular QPR had eyes on, with fresh suggestions of interest in Alfie Gilchrist.

West London Sport claim Gilchrist was being eyed up as a possible replacement for Dunne, had the Irish defender joined United. The on-loan youngster was on the books at Loftus Road before joining Chelsea over a decade ago, whom he left to spend the season on loan at Bramall Lane.

They claim that after rejecting United’s official offer, QPR remained in talks over Dunne going into Monday morning and as a deal looked ‘increasingly possible’, they were prompted to source possible successors. And it seems that alongside Seriki, Gilchrist was one of them.

That would first have needed Chelsea to recall Gilchrist from his loan spell at United, however, which would have been difficult given he is playing regularly under Chris Wilder and impressing. Even so, doing so that late in the window before sanctioning another exit would have been tight, especially with so many moving parts.

In the end, QPR didn’t need to find a replacement for Dunne, who will remain at Loftus Road until the summer at which point his current contract expires. United remain interested in the defender, who was also keen on a move to South Yorkshire, and so links will inevitably resurface if he becomes a free agent in June.

While there has been no suggestion United would have been open to Gilchrist’s exit - he has been excellent this season and endeared himself to supporters with a string of battling displays - it would have eased a weekly headache for Wilder. Having signed Rob Holding from Crystal Palace for the rest of the season, he now has six loanees to pick from.

EFL rules allow only five temporary players in a matchday squad, meaning one of Holding, Gilchrist, Harry Clarke, Hamza Choudhury, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi Ben Brereton Diaz will have to miss out entirely each week. With all six fit and firing, a decision will need to be made when United host Portsmouth on Saturday.