Queens Park Rangers have been heavily linked with former Norwich City boss Johannes Hoff Thorup as a potential replacement for Marti Cifuentes, though no official decision has been announced by the club. Here’s a look at the latest updates.
Cifuentes was placed on gardening leave ahead of QPR’s final game of the 2024/25 season following a breakdown in his relationship with CEO Christian Nourry. The move also came amid reports connecting him with the vacant West Bromwich Albion job.
QPR ended the season in 15th place in the Championship and exited both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup in the Third Round.
Thorup Meets with QPR Leadership
Among the contenders for the managerial role, Johannes Hoff Thorup has been the most prominently linked. According to Danish outlet Tipsbladet, Thorup recently traveled to London for face-to-face talks with QPR officials. However, as of late May, no official appointment has been made.
Don Goodman Questions QPR’s Interest in Thorup
Speaking to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman expressed surprise at QPR’s pursuit of Thorup, given Norwich’s mixed campaign under his leadership.
“I admired certain aspects of his Norwich side, especially their attacking play,” Goodman said. “But I had concerns about their risky approach when playing out from the back. I’m a bit surprised QPR would be looking at him.”
Goodman added that Thorup may have misread the situation at Norwich: “He seemed to think he had time to build a project when the reality was that results were expected immediately.”
Other Contenders Also in the Frame
Despite the attention on Thorup, he isn’t the only name in the mix. Former Lyon manager Pierre Sage remains a contender, with French newspaper L’Équipe recently reaffirming his candidacy.
Christian Titz, who recently parted ways with 1. FC Magdeburg after finishing fifth in Germany’s 2. Bundesliga, has also been linked to the Loftus Road vacancy. German journalist Florian Plettenberg has suggested Titz is attracting interest from both Championship clubs and Hannover 96.
Neither Sage nor Titz has prior experience managing in England. Sage, a long-serving Lyon academy coach, took over the first team and led them to Europa League qualification in 2024 but was dismissed in January 2025. He is also being monitored by Lens and Leicester City.
Titz, another academy product, previously worked at Hamburger SV and Rot-Weiss Essen before guiding Magdeburg to promotion and eventually stepping down at the close of the 2024/25 campaign. According to Plettenberg, he is “ready for a new chapter.”
With the season concluded and fans eager for clarity, QPR are likely nearing a final decision on their next head coach.
