Saints look set to return Steven Caulker to QPR in the January transfer window after what has turned out to be a strange loan period at St Mary's for the central defender.

According to reports in the national media, Steven Caulker is about to return to QPR after a 5 month period at St mary's that has seen him only make one league start.

There has been something strange about this move, from the beginning Caulker never seemed to be a player that Ronald Koeman rated despite some good early season performances including his only start at Watford where Saints secured a rare clean sheet.

But that did little for his chances with Yoshida being preferred as the back up central defender after Virgil Van Dijk arrived whether that was in a orthodox role, as a back three or even as a full back.

But it will not be quite as simple as just sending him back, Caulker is on big money and QPR cannot afford to have him back on the wage bill, they will look to resist all overtures from Saints to return him till they have lined up a deal to ship Caulker out on loan again with Sunderland looking likely suitors.

Photo: Action Images

darkangelv2 added 09:18 - Dec 31 Perhaps Gardos isn't too far off getting back to full training?
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Chesham_Saint added 10:09 - Dec 31 Gardos? Good point. I seem to remember he seemed pretty competent - and a Romanian friend of mine certainly rates him.
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saintjeff52 added 10:34 - Dec 31 We never should have bought Gardos. He had a long standing injury before we even bought him. We knew all about it too. The gamble failed. We bought a 'Sicknote'
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law101 added 10:44 - Dec 31 Nothing strange about it at all. Has looked poor when called upon, uncomfortable in possession and error prone. You mention the Watford game Nick but we were set up for a draw with Watford rarely testing us. Gardos must be another month off given that he is not back in training? Maybe another CB lined up in Jan.
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DPeps added 12:18 - Dec 31 He was worth a punt on loan, but it hasn't worked out. I'd much rather have Yoshida playing, which says it all
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1970 added 13:00 - Dec 31 Caulker needs game time just like Gardos did and still does, I would of thought putting him in at right back for a short stint would of achieved that, but instead we play Yosh, Caulker played in that position for Spuds a number of times and looked competent, playing Yoshida at right back is a cardinal sin and we will lose almost every week because of it, except when we play Norwich which was the last time we won with Yosh at right back lol coyr

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corkcitysaint added 17:20 - Dec 31 I reckon we took Caulker as a fall back just in case we missed out on Virgil. If he had gone elsewhere or Celtic progressed further. Didn't rate Caulker him when he was at QPR and my opinion of him hasn't changed since. Granted, he hasn't had much game time. Maybe just as well as his performance against Liverpool in the cup was woefull.
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sidsaint added 18:50 - Dec 31 RK doesn't appear to rate him. If he goes to Sunderland he may maintain his relegation record.
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bstokesaint added 16:23 - Jan 1 Nothing odd. He's simply not good enough to be anything more than cover. Championship player all day long.
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SaintBrock added 16:28 - Jan 1 He's a second division player at best, no more and Ron is quite right to ignore him. Despite his flaws Yoshida is a far better player than Caulker will ever be and we have the likes of McCarthy & Stevens waiting for their chance. I also feel sorry for Ryan Seagar who looked quite miserable in the Match-day Uncovered feature of the Gooners match. Surely he is worth a run out after the ineptitude of Ramirez and beheaded chicken antics of Juanmi. Does Koeman have an anti-English agenda one wonders?

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