Alou Diarra is set for a coaching role at QPR.placeholder image
Alou Diarra is set for a coaching role at QPR. | AFP via Getty Images
A former Championship midfielder is set to take his next coaching steps with QPR.
QPR are expected to appoint former Charlton Athletic and West Ham midfielder Alou Diarra as part of incoming manager Julien Stéphan’s coaching staff ahead of the 2025/26 Championship season.
Current R’s head coach Marti Cifuentes remains on gardening leave but, after a long period of rumours, all signs are pointing towards Stephan taking over from the Catalan. Johannes Hoff Thorup, Ryan Mason and Pierre Sage had all been linked with the position at Loftus Road since the end of last season.
Former Rennes boss Stéphan is set to sign a two-year contract with QPR. The 44-year-old has been out of work since being sacked by Rennes last November, ending his second spell with the Ligue 1 outfit.
Julien Stéphan set to be joined by former Charlton Athletic man at QPR
While the club is still to make an official announcement about Stéphan’s appointment, L’Equipe are already claiming that a former French international could be appointed to work among his coaching staff in Diarra. Stéphan is expected to be joined by video analyst Rudi Cuni and with Diarra as assistant coach.
The former midfielder is said to have just earned his coaching badge in France and was in charge of Troyes’ reserve team in the fifth tier of French football over the past 12 months.
Diarra spent time in the UK at Liverpool, West Ham and Charlton Athletic, making 44 appearances in the Championship. The French international also enjoyed six Premier League outings and has played 27 times in the Champions League.
Alou Diarra career at Liverpool, West Ham and Charlton Athletic
He first joined the Reds from Bayern Munich in 2002 but was sent back on three loan stints to France before joining Lens in 2005. He then returned to the UK when signed by West Ham in 2012 but struggled with injuries when with the London outfit.
A move to the Addicks came in 2015 and became Diarra’s most successful stint with a UK club. He played 45 times for Charlton Athletic, scoring one goal against rivals Millwall, before seeing his contract cancelled early to return to France.
Speaking about his time at Charlton Athletic in 2018, Diarra told the club: "For me, it is great to come back to Charlton as there is a great story between me and the club. The manager has allowed me to come in to training sessions and that is good for me and my fitness.
"My relationship with Charlton was always very close. Even though I went back to France, I was always still close to Charlton and I would look for the result of the Charlton first team. I still spoke with Chris Parkes, Jason Euell and some of the players too and I am very happy to be back here. My retirement is near, I know, but I want to enjoy my last few years in football. I hope that when I stop playing, I will manage a team. That is my dream."
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