JEM Karacan is making a case for his first Wanderers start in four-and-a-half months at QPR this weekend.

The midfielder had dropped way down the pecking order after his last appearance in the 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa in late September last year.

He was granted compassionate leave after the game for a family bereavement but returned a couple of weeks later to find his path back into the side blocked by the newly-signed Karl Henry.

It was strongly rumoured he would be moved out on loan in the January window but no move materialised and he is now looking to earn a new deal at the Macron, with his current contract up at the end of the campaign.

Phil Parkinson admits the former Reading man has worked hard to get back in favour and has not ruled out him starting at Loftus Road.

“Jem has been training well and I think he comes into the thinking for QPR,” said the Wanderers boss. “I have said before that he has been training extremely well, so it gives me a decision to make.

“With the number of games coming up we knew there would be opportunities for players who have not featured as much.

“And often in these cases, it’s the attitude of players who are not in the team which is just as important as those who are.”