Queens Park Rangers: 5 Strikers Linked with QPR in January Transfer Window

Despite Harry Redknapp stating Queens Park Rangers will not be looking to spend in January to save their season (via BBC), that has not kept the tabloids from reporting on various players he is looking to bring into Loftus Road.

With Bobby Zamora and Andy Johnson out injured, Djibril Cisse out of form and Jamie Mackie being pushed as Rangers' lead forward, Redknapp has admitted the club are short of attacking options: "We are not overloaded with strikers here. That's certainly an area we are short in" (via Daily Mail).

He can say that again.

Having scored just 11 in 15, this is not the sort of goal-to-game ratio Redknapp will be pleased with. And it will most certainly be something he will look to improve on.

But what players have been linked with a January move to Loftus Road to assist QPR with their goal-scoring woes? And is there any possibility for any of them?

5. Jermain Defoe

As soon as Harry Redknapp took over at QPR, everybody knew there would be links to various Tottenham players.

And Jermain Defoe is one of them.

At the end of November, Metro.co.uk reported that Defoe had been made Redknapp's top transfer target for January. However, just a week later, numerous media outlets—including Sky Sports—were informed by the striker that he has no intention of leaving North London.

"

If the opportunity comes to leave the club it won't be happening. I don't want to leave, I'm a Spurs player—and I'm happy. I'd like to finish my career at Tottenham. I want to achieve something special here—it's a great time to be at the club.

"

However transfers are rubbished all the time by players, only to be spotted the next day signing for a new club. But this time I think Defoe means what he says.

You never know what magic Harry can weave though.

Transfer Likelihood: 1/5

4. Loic Remy

The first Frenchman on this list who has been linked to QPR this winter is 25-year-old Loic Remy.

The Olympique Marseille striker has been told he can leave the club if they receive a bid for £10 million, but he is only interested in Champions League football (via Daily Mail).

Queens Park Rangers aren't in the Champions League.

However, there is a small chance that if Rangers begin a sudden surge up the table before the window closes, Remy may well be suckered in by Tony Fernandes' "dream" and could be persuaded to move to West London. But only a very small chance.

Redknapp has been a fan of Remy since his Tottenham days: “I was interested in Remy at Tottenham but that was then. It’s a different situation now. He would be expensive. It all depends where we are in January” (via Daily Telegraph).

The realists will claim there is no chance of the striker moving to Loftus Road. But former teammate and current Rangers' player Stephane Mbia's cryptic tweet has given R's fans a little glimmer of hope, at least.

"

Dream or Reality ? Loic Rémy!I keep the secret! But not for long Time ^^ #QPR #OM

— Stephane Mbia (@StephaneMbia) November 30, 2012"

Transfer Likelihood: 2/5

3. Yoan Gouffran

With a reported price-tag of £3 million (via Mirror Football), Yoan Gouffran could be a budget option for Redknapp if he is to buy a striker in January.

The 26-year-old's contract is running out in the summer, and therefore his current club may well be keen to sell him at a cut price in the winter before he is able to leave as a free agent.

The Daily Mirror reports that Gouffran has been previously linked with Everton, Fulham and Aston Villa, but QPR have now entered the fray for the forward.

This rumor is one which is only just developing. At the time of writing, no bid has been made by the club, nor has any comment from Redknapp or his backroom staff been released regarding the Frenchman.

He is a more likely transfer target than Loic Remy, however, as Gouffran is not demanding European football.

Transfer Likelihood: 3/5

2. Nicolas Anelka

All those in favor of seeing the Incredible Sulk in a QPR shirt raise your hands?

Just Sergio Batista (the head coach of Shanghai Shenhua) and Mr Anelka himself then, yes?

Nicolas Anelka fans are few and far between at Loftus Road, but there can be no arguments that he can score goals. And goals are what QPR are lacking at the moment.

Redknapp is most likely going to be moving and shaking in the loan market come January, and the Frenchman is a prime target for the manager (via Daily Mail).

The striker has been linked with a return to the Premier League since July (via Metro.co.uk), and unfortunately for some fans, it doesn't look as though this rumor is dying down.

The biggest issue for Tony Fernandes will be the Frenchman's wages—estimated at £250,000 a week (via Daily Mail). And the biggest issue for Redknapp will be if he can keep Anelka's egotistical personality on a tight leash.

However if both of these problems are overcome, there is a high possibility he could join the West London outfit during the Chinese Super League off-season.

Transfer Likelihood: 3.5/5

1. Darren Bent

Darren Bent is a very unhappy footballer at the moment. In Paul Lambert's bad books, and benched more times than Steve Harper at Newcastle, Bent is looking for a way out of Aston Villa (via ESPN).

The Guardian reports that Redknapp is ready to prepare a bid for the striker, with £10 million being the price proposed as the maximum Villa could expect to sell the player for.

It all looks like Darren Bent should easily become a QPR player come January: His current club don't want him, and QPR do. He has a 1:2 goal-to-game ratio, and Rangers need a proven scorer. And Redknapp used to manage Bent at Spurs.

However, that last point could well be the stumbling block, after they fell out when Redknapp accused the striker of missing a chance "my missus could have scored" (via The Guardian).

But Mirror Football claims there are no hard feelings between the two men, which makes Darren Bent the striker most likely to move to QPR come January.

Although you never can tell when it comes to 'Arry.

Transfer Likelihood: 4/5

Honorable Mention: John Guidetti

And the honorable mention goes to John Guidetti of Manchester City.

Linked with QPR back in September during the darker days of the Mark Hughes reign, the Swedish starlet was supposedly on course for a loan move to West London (via Daily Mail).

Although Hughes is no more, there is no reason not to believe Redknapp won't take a look at this City striker as a potential replacement for his band of injured men.