QPR appoints Julian Stephan as manager
Former Rennes boss Julian Stephan has been tasked with improving upon Queens Park Rangers' 15th-placed finish from 2024-2025, having succeeded Marti Cifuentes.
Cifuentes was placed on gardening leave in April after questioning the club's direction, having been linked with the then-vacant post at West Bromwich Albion.
He officially left the club on Wednesday, after assistant coaches Kevin Betsy and Xavi Calm led the side to a 15th-place finish in the Championship, seven points clear of relegation.
The Loftus Road club has since now turned to Stephan, who enjoyed two separate spells at Rennes either side of coaching Strasbourg from 2021 to 2023.
In his first spell with Rennes, his hometown club, Stephan delivered their first major trophy in 48 years, overseeing a penalty shootout victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the 2019 Coupe de France final.
Stephan's second stint with Rennes ended last November, when he was dismissed after a poor start to the Ligue 1 season.
"QPR is a historic club with strong values and passionate fans, so I feel honoured," Stephan said.
"There is something unique about English football. The intensity, the atmosphere, the passion of the fans also, the tempo of the game, the culture around the club all make it a very stimulating environment for a coach."
