Cifuentes backs Ashby as Santos heads out of QPR

Marti Cifuentes has backed Harrison Ashby despite the right-back enduring a difficult loan spell at QPR so far.

Ashby has often struggled – sometimes as an auxiliary left-back – since arriving from Newcastle.

Fellow right-back Hevertton Santos is on his way out of Rangers after just seven months at the club.

Santos, who turns 24 on Saturday, is returning to Portugal, on loan to Vitória SC for the rest of the season.

The move is with a view to a possible permanent transfer in the summer – and comes after head coach Cifuentes made it clear he preferred Ashby, leading to Santos being shipped out.

Santos has started four Championship matches since arriving from Estrela in June.

Cifuentes wanted another right-back brought in later in the summer transfer window and Ashby was duly signed on a season-long loan from Newcastle.

Ashby has also failed to impress, but there will be no early return to Tyneside, with Cifuentes adamant that he wants to keep him in the squad.

“He’s a fantastic guy, I have a lot of trust in him and think that he has a really high ceiling,” Cifuentes said.

“As I always say to him, he is capable of performing at a really high level and the part he needs to improve is that he needs to be more, let’s say, stable. I have full confidence in him.”

Meanwhile, QPR are set to sign South Korean winger Yang Min-hyeok on loan from Tottenham for the rest of the season.