AS Saint-Étienne have held a long-standing interest in Queens Park Rangers' 24-year-old French midfielder Jonathan Varane. Recent claims from the UK that QPR rejected a loan offer with a €6m purchase option from the French club have been disputed. The Ligue 2 side has made no offer and has not re-established contact with QPR or the player's agent. Although Saint-Étienne still value Varane, he is reportedly not their current priority, which may be due to an injury. QPR will only consider a permanent transfer for the player, whose contract runs until 2030, and will not sell him for a nominal fee. The situation is complicated by interest from other clubs, with AEK Athens being among those who have shown an interest in a potential transfer. Varane joined QPR in August 2024, and in the current 25/26 season, he has made 23 appearances in the Championship, scoring 1 goal and providing 2 assists.