Rival boss 'held talks' with West Brom over managerial vacancy ahead of upcoming Sunderland clash - reports

QPR boss Marti Cifuentes has “held talks” with West Brom about succeeding Tony Mowbray as their head coach next season ahead of his side’s Championship clash with Sunderland this weekend, according to reports.

The Spaniard takes his team to the Stadium of Light on Saturday lunchtime knowing that that they are assured of a mid-table finish, while the Black Cats are guaranteed to end the campaign in fourth-place, and will therefore take part in next month’s play-offs.

But prior to the upcoming clash on Wearside, speculation has started to mount over the prospect of it being Cifuentes’ last outing as QPR boss.

What has been said about Marti Cifuentes’ future as QPR head coach ahead of Sunderland clash?

Last week, reports emerged suggesting that Cifuentes could be tempted to leave Loftus Road this summer after becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the manner in which the club was being ran.

As per an update from The Sun, the 42-year-old could quit his role in West London following a breakdown in his relationship with chief executive Christian Nourry, who was brought in to oversee the club's recruitment in January last year.

It is understood that the 42-year-old has “grown frustrated” with the huge number of injuries his squad have sustained this season, and how those repeated setbacks have ultimately extinguished any play-off hopes, consigning Rangers to a lower mid-table finish. Cifuentes is said to be unhappy with QPR’s decision to allow director of performance Ben Williams to oversee the club's sports science, medical, physio, and nutrition departments remotely from Dubai.

The R’s boss also stated after a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Swansea City on Easter Monday that he wanted assurances about the direction of the club and their ambition to return to the Premier League - which they were relegated from a decade ago. He said: “The supporters since I first came here have been amazing. But I would like to give them something else and not just celebrate another season in the Championship."

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Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth then weighed in with an update over the weekend, suggesting that Cifuentes and his representatives have opened discussions with West Brom over the prospect of a summer switch to The Hawthorns.

Writing on X, he said: “Told representatives of QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes have held talks this week with another Championship club over becoming their boss next season. Talks not reached stage where formal permission has been requested to QPR. QPR not commenting.” In a subsequent update, Sheth added: “Now told club is West Brom”.

West Brom have been without a permanent head coach since they took the decision to part company with ex-Sunderland boss Mowbray earlier this month. At the time of writing, former midfielder James Morrison is in interim charge.

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