Queens Park Rangers could receive a significant injury boost this weekend as head coach Julien Stephan confirmed that striker Justin Obikwu is in contention to make his debut against Portsmouth. The 21-year-old forward, who joined from Coventry City in January for a reported £500,000, has been sidelined with an injury since his arrival but has now returned to training.
Obikwu's Potential Debut After Injury Layoff
Stephan revealed that Obikwu trained throughout the week and will participate in Friday's session, though the player requires additional physical rebuilding after his extended absence from competitive football. "He trained this week and will train on Friday," Stephan told West London Sport. "We need to continue to rebuild him physically because he has not played for a long time."
The QPR manager emphasized that while Obikwu isn't ready to start, he could feature as a substitute. "He's not ready to start the game, but perhaps ready to play some minutes if we need him. We will continue after the international break and the next weeks to rebuild him physically. But it's an option, yes, for the next game."
QPR's Injury Situation and Recent Form
Meanwhile, Rumarn Burrell remains a long-term absentee for QPR, having been out since early January. The former Burton Albion striker had scored 10 Championship goals in the first half of the campaign before his injury.
QPR's upcoming match against Portsmouth at Loftus Road on Saturday comes after a crucial 3-1 victory at Leicester City, which ended a four-game losing streak against Southampton, Sheffield United, Middlesbrough, and Birmingham City. During those defeats, QPR conceded 12 goals, making the Leicester win particularly important for team morale.
Speaking after the Leicester victory, Stephan praised his team's resilience: "We deserved this win because we showed great character, great personality, and very good collective connection. Even though we conceded the first goal we stayed very focused on what we needed to do on the pitch. It was very important for me mentally that we stayed focused. We needed to manage cleverly at the end of the game and we did that very well."
Additional Team News and International Call-ups
In other developments, Wales manager Craig Bellamy has called up players from QPR, Crystal Palace, and Fulham for international duty, though specific names weren't disclosed in the initial report. This international recognition highlights the talent within these London clubs as they prepare for upcoming Championship fixtures.
Obikwu's potential debut represents a positive development for QPR as they seek to build momentum following their recent victory. His arrival from Coventry City, where he spent the first half of the season on loan at Lincoln City in League One, adds depth to QPR's attacking options as they navigate the challenging Championship schedule.
