QUEENS Park Rangers manager Mark Warburton is pleased with the progress made by Zimbabwean striker Macauley Bonne during his loan spell at Ipswich Town – and has not ruled out bringing him back to the Championship club earlier than planned.
Bonne has scored five goals in just six league games for the League One side since joining on a season-long loan deal in the English summer.
The 25-year-old forward who was born in Ipswich, to Zimbabwean parents endured a difficult spell at Queens Park Rangers last season which saw him net just three times in the Championship all season.
After moving to Ipswich in search of regular first team football, Bonne has rediscovered his scoring form which in the past earned him comparisons with Leicester City veteran forward Jamie Vardy.
The Warriors prospect can be recalled in January, although Rangers manager Warburton currently has other options.
“We’ll see how we go,” Warburton said.
“I don’t think anyone would say that Lyndon Dykes, Charlie Austin, Andre Gray and Chris Willock are bad options to have.
“Players need to play. If Macca (Macauley) was here today, for example, and comes off the bench alongside Charlie, Andre or Lyndon, does he benefit more from being out on loan and playing or by sitting on the bench in the Championship?
“His job is to go out and score goals and he’s doing that, I’m delighted to see him doing that. That’s the idea of a good loan. He goes out and gets pitch time, gets opportunities, and he takes them.
“Every time you move up, it’s a different level, so that was the idea of the loan. I’m happy with the loan and delighted for him. Hopefully he carries on going.”
Bonne has represented Zimbabwe at full international and under-23 levels but is yet to feature in the AFCON or World Cup qualifiers.
The gifted striker was included in Zimbabwe’s squad for the recent World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Ethiopia by the now fired former coach Zdravko Logarusic.
However, an EFL agreement to refuse international call-ups for games on the UK government’s red travel list meant the Blues frontman was not involved in the matches.
The inform striker is however expected to be included in the Warriors squad for next month’s the back to back World Cup qualifiers against Ghana by the interim national football team coach Norman Mapeza.