LES Ferdinand says Mark Warburton has already demonstrated a keenness to develop young players within his squad in the days since his appointment.

Warburton was named as the new QPR manager earlier this month. One of his first tasks was to participate in the process regarding the futures of Alex Baptiste, Joel Lynch, Jake Bidwell, Jordan Cousins, Pawel Wszolek, Angel Rangel and Seny Dieng.

While the club are in talks with Rangel and Dieng, the other players have all been moved on, and Ferdinand admitted: “We have had to let players go and it’s not an ideal situation.

“When we signed these players we wanted them to be developed to put us in a position where we could look at selling them for more than we brought them in.

“That hasn’t happened but we will be saving on their wages and it allows us to look at other options.”

Warburton has a reputation for working with younger players, notably enjoying success with Brentford and Glasgow Rangers, and Ferdinand added: “We are very pleased.

“I am fully aware I have stood here before and said similar to this but we went through a very diligent process and we know where were are and what we are trying to do.

“We wanted someone who could come in and develop our younger players. Mark wants to do that and he has the background which proves it. In conversations I am having with him day in, day out, he knows where he wants to get to and how he wants to get there.”

QPR head into the 2019/20 season preparing for life after Premier League parachute payments, a challenge Warburton is fully aware of.

“It was important he knew the financial constraints he is going to have to work under,” Ferdinand added. “We keep talking about Financial Fair Play and the limitations as a result of that, but that is where we are right now and we have to deal with the challenges from that.

“It’s about development and being brave enough to do it.”