Queens Park Rangers opted to engage in a reasonable amount of transfer activity in the previous transfer window earlier this year.

As well as securing the services of Chris Martin and Jamal Lowe, the R's also decided to sanction a host of departures.

One of the individuals who secured a temporary exit from Loftus Road was Conor Masterson.

Limited to just one appearance in the Championship during the first half of the 2022/23 campaign, Masterson sealed a return to Gillingham in January.

Having featured for the Gills on 18 occasions last season in his previous loan spell at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium, it was always going to be interesting to see how the defender would fare in the opening stages of his latest stint.

After being deployed as a substitute in Gillingham's clash with Swindon Town, the defender helped his side claim a clean-sheet against Crawley Town at the start of February.

Masterson has since gone on to establish himself as a key member of the League Two outfit's side as he has made nine consecutive starts.

The defender's latest display for Gillingham was particularly impressive as he scored in their win over Tranmere Rovers and recorded a season-high WhoScored match rating of 8.69.

Masterson's performances have prompted Gills Director of Football Kenny Jackett to reveal in a recent fans' forum (as cited by KentOnline) that the club are interested in signing him on a permanent deal.

With the 24-year-old's contract set to expire this summer, QPR will need to make a decision regarding Masterson's future.

Despite the fact that Masterson has managed to produce a number of assured displays in the fourth-tier, the R's ought to consider cutting ties with him this summer.

Since sealing a switch to QPR in 2019, the centre-back has ultimately failed in his quest to become a key member of the club's squad.

Limited to just 19 appearances in the Championship, the defender has been unable to push on since averaging a respectable WhoScored match rating of 6.64 at this level in his debut campaign.

Given that questions still remain over whether Masterson is good enough to play week-in, week-out for QPR, they may find it more beneficial to let him leave instead of offering him fresh terms.

This particular call will free up some money from the club's wage bill that could be used by head coach Gareth Ainsworth to reinvest in the squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

With Jake Clarke-Salter, Rob Dickie and Jimmy Dunne all under contract for next season, Masterson is likely to be forced to watch on from the sidelines again if the club opt to retain his services.

For the sake of his own career, it could be argued that the defender should be actively seeking a move to a team in League One or League Two in the upcoming window as this will provide him with a better chance of featuring regularly at senior level.