Queens Park Rangers' Samba Diakite celebrates scoring his side's second goal with his team-mates

QPR transfer news: Hughes keen to keep Diakite at the end of the season

Mark Hughes is optimistic that midfielder Samba Diakite’s loan deal at QPR will be made permanent at the end of the season.

January signing Diakite joined Rangers from Nancy until the end of the season and has quickly become a crowd favourite, capping a series of impressive displays with his side’s winner against Arsenal last month.

And Hughes revealed he is keen to keep the 23-year-old Mali international at Loftus Road.

“We’re hoping that we can make it permanent because he has done really well since he’s been here,” Hughes told London24.com.

“Certainly if we can make it a permanent deal I think that would be to everybody’s benefit.

“He’s a good age and it would make sense to try to keep him here because he has done well. All those things will be discussed at the end of the season.

“I like to work with good players, so ideally he would stay and I’ll have that opportunity in the future.”

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