Exclusive: QPR urged to take Charlie Kelman action after Leyton Orient exploits | OneFootball

The 23-year-old could be in line for a real crack at the Championship after impressing in League One this season

Charlie Kelman has been one of the surprise packages in League One this season, with the Queens Park Rangers loanee finally finding consistent form in front of goal at Leyton Orient.

His season-long loan at Richie Wellens' side is his fourth separate loan move away from Loftus Road since his 2020 arrival from Southend United, and he's more than doubled his season-high goalscoring tally in all competitions already with over a month to go this campaign.

Before this, his best scoring season also came at Leyton Orient, where he netted just seven times en route to helping the O's to a League Two title, and whilst his contributions may not result in a Championship promotion for his loan club this season, Kelman himself may find himself promoted into a constant second-tier role at his parent club instead.

However, Kelman is yet to score in 23 Championship appearances for QPR, and questions may be raised about whether Kelman is truly ready to make that step up, despite impressing in the third tier this season.

Patience is the key with "intriguing" Charlie Kelman

In an exclusive interview with Football League World, EFL pundit David Prutton believes that Charlie Kelman should be given time at QPR next season to see whether his goalscoring exploits this season were just a purple patch or a sign of a true marksman with Championship potential.

"Kelman's an intriguing one as he's been around the EFL for a while now and it's only really been this season that he's started to take off. You get that with strikers sometimes though," he explained.

"You've got to wait and see whether this purple patch can be sustainable, but of course, given his goalscoring exploits at Leyton Orient, QPR fans will be wondering what happens next.

"I think you could throw him in next season, maybe give him half a season to see what he's like and show what ability he can bring in a hoops shirt. He has potential, but a bit of patience will be needed for what they've seen so far."

QPR may decide to cash in on Charlie Kelman in the summer

After one impressive season in League One, it is most definitely a risk to bring Kelman back into the fold at Loftus Road, after failing to impress in Championship seasons on a couple of occasions now, most recently in 2023/24, where he made 11 second-tier appearances in the first half of the season before being loaned out to Wigan Athletic in League One.

However, of his 23 Championship appearances at Loftus Road, only four of them have been in the starting eleven, so it can be argued that Kelman hasn't yet been given a fair enough chance to impress at an age where he wasn't as developed of a goalscorer as he is now.

David Prutton feels that "there is nothing to lose in terms of giving [Kelman] a crack in the Championship next season, as he is firmly under contract with the club [...] but I think you have to look at what price you may get for him from a League One or another Championship club."

The 23-year-old's demand and subsequent price tag will most definitely be the highest it has been in the nearly five years he's spent at the club this coming summer. Therefore, it'll be interesting to see whether QPR feel Charlie Kelman's impressive season is just a mere purple patch, or whether they'll back him to take his scoring form into the Championship with them in 2025/26.