Leeds have reportedly dropped out of the race for QPR's midfielder Massimo Luongo.

London Football News understand that Bielsa is no longer after the Australian, who only has one-year remaining on his current contract at Loftus Road.

It had previously been reported that Forest and Leeds were going after the midfielder who has been at the club since 2015 after he joined from Swindon.

However, with Leeds wanting to go after a different midfielder, Nottingham Forest's competition has thinned.

The midfielder is on the market this season, with QPR's limited wage budget being the main catalyst. The club only have one-year to make some cash on him and they cannot afford to let him go on a free.

Consequently, he has not been in the the squad for the pre-season tour to Austria.

Manager Mark Warburton has confirmed that his omission from the squad is purely because it unlikely that he has a future at Queens Park Rangers.

He told the club's website: “Massimo has been a loyal servant of the club for the last four years and his passion and commitment for QPR has always been there for everyone to see out on the pitch.

“Massimo’s future could now lie away from QPR and therefore it is important that we prepare for that potential eventuality.

“We will give opportunities in Austria to some of the club’s younger players who have come through the academy, such as Charlie Owens and Charlie Rowan.”

The Verdict

It's perhaps a bit of a surprise that Leeds have dropped out due to him being available at a cut price.

They could do with one more creative midfielder and I thought he could be the one, but now Forest have a good opportunity to buy him

It's hard to imagine Luongo being better than the Championship - which may be why Leeds dropped out. However, he has plenty of experience at this level and could help a team like Forest push up the table.