Queens Park Rangers boss Steve McClaren has refused to clarify whether the club will sign free agent Sebastien Bassong, in quotes published by Football.London.

What's the word?

After opening the new Championship campaign with four consecutive defeats, pressure upon QPR and Steve McClaren is rising as the club desperately try to rejuvenate their squad before the end of August.

The West London side are seeking loan additions before the window slams shut on 31st August and may also take advantage of the free agency market, with speculation that Sebastien Bassong could join the club after training with the side.

32-year-old Bassong was in the stands for QPR's 3-0 defeat to Bristol City on Tuesday evening and has been without a club since leaving Norwich City in 2017, but has been given the opportunity to train with QPR to maintain his fitness levels.

With McClaren's side showing poor defensive displays at the start of the season, he was asked whether Bassong would be signed but refused to clarify his position in comments published by Football.London.

What was said?

"Bassong has been training with us just to keep fit, so he'll continue training with us and we will see.

"As I say, I can't say anything at the present moment, all I can say to everybody is that when people criticise the board we are really trying."

A deal to avoid?

While it is painstakingly obvious that QPR need to bolster their defensive line before the end of the month, signing Bassong would be a piece of business that would show the rest of the division how desperate Steve McClaren really is.

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After a year without a club, Bassong is highly unlikely to be prepared for the rigours of Championship football and QPR cannot afford to take such a risk in the market when they are already look set for a tussle at the bottom of the division.

More importantly, Bassong has not completed 90 minutes since Norwich's 3-1 defeat to Reading on Boxing Day 2016 and Transfermarkt data shows that in the eight games in 2016-17 where Bassong started, the Canaries kept just two clean sheets - losing six of those ties.

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