QPR have announced that defender Grant Hall has left the club after rejecting a "very good" contract offer. 

When fit, the central defender has been a mainstay in Mark Warburton's side this term – making 30 appearances and taking the captain's armband.

However, Hall's contract was set to expire at the end of June and despite previous suggestions that he was keen to stay on at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, it appears the defender sees his future elsewhere.

QPR announced today that the 28-year-old has left the club with immediate effect, bringing his five-year spell to an end.

The 28-year-old joined QPR permanently in August 2015 and made 130 appearances for the west London club in total.

On the club website, Warburton noted: "We are sorry to see Grant go but whatever decisions we make have to be made with the club’s best interests at heart.

“The club made Grant a very good offer to stay with us but he feels his future lies elsewhere."

Hall suggested that he had taken the decision to leave "with a heavy heart".

He added: "It was a very difficult decision but I had to do what I felt was right for my family at this stage of my career.

“It was an absolute honour to captain the team this season and I thank the manager for having that faith and trust in me."

QPR director of football Les Ferdinand said: "Decisions such as this are never easy but we all have to accept the financial landscape in football has changed considerably.

“We have to be honest in our approach when these discussions take place. If we feel the situation does not work financially for the club, we have to be brave and step away.

Hall's absence is certainly a blow for the R's, having re-established himself as a key man this term.

Warburton's side are six points away from the top six with nine games remaining and get their play-off push back underway against bottom-of-the-table Barnsley tomorrow.

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The Verdict

This is something of a surprise, given the key role Hall has played this term and his comments about his QPR future a few months ago.

In the short-term, it could be a blow to their play-off hopes as he has been a regular fixture when fit and the R's will now be without their captain for the run-in.

The onus is now going to be on the likes of Conor Masterson, Yoann Barbet, Dominic Ball and Geoff Cameron to step up.