Former Ipswich Town loanee Macauley Bonne looks to be heading for the exit door at QPR.

The 26-year-old striker netted 12 goals for the Blues last season and recently made clear, in an exclusive interview with the EADT and Ipswich Star, his desire to return to his beloved hometown club.

He bagged four goals in pre-season for the Hoops, stepped off the bench in their opening three Championship games and also started a Carabao Cup match at Charlton.

Bonne was left out of the squad for last night's 1-0 home defeat to Blackpool though.

"Macauley was just not selected,” said manager Michael Beale afterwards.

“I chose to go with young Sinclair (Armstrong, teenage academy graduate) over him (on the bench). Macauley’s had a really good pre-season, we have a really good relationship, everything’s clear and out in the open with Macauley and where he stands in the squad.

“I just feel at the moment that Sinclair earnt the right, certainly with his impact at the weekend (at Sunderland). I thought it was the right decision and I think we saw that with his performance.”

Asked if Bonne, who is now in the final year of his contract at Loftus Road, might move on before the transfer window closes on September 1, Beale replied: “I think if the right offer comes along for any of our players in this window they could move. That’s the situation we’re in as a club.

“It comes down to whether Macauley is going to be happy. In a few weeks everybody is going to be fit, hopefully, and there’s going to be a lot of competition for places.

“I think in the next two weeks there might be one or two players knocking on the door.”

Blues boss Kieran McKenna is understood to be keen to add another striker to his ranks to compete with Freddie Ladapo and Kayden Jackson.

Leicester City striker George Hirst has been a prime target all summer, but it's been reported that the 23-year-old is set to sign a new deal with the Foxes and be loaned to a Championship club.

Interestingly, Ipswich kept squad number 18 - which Bonne has a strong emotional attachment to - vacant heading into the new campaign.