LEE Cook is still likely to leave Loftus Road when the loan market opens despite the collapse of his proposed switch to Sheffield Wednesday.

Wednesday had agreed a deal with QPR to borrow Cook on a short-term loan ahead of Monday’s transfer deadline, but the winger turned the move down.

Rangers manager Neil Warnock is keen to send both Cook and Martin Rowlands out on loan, though, along with young striker Antonio German and left-back Gary Borrowdale, when the loan window opens next week.

“We’re expecting three or four lads to go out on loan over the next few weeks,” Warnock told the Times. “Some of them need games at the moment.

“I think Lee Cook and Martin Rowlands both know they need first-team games and they’re both fit enough to play, so there are quite a few clubs interested in them.

“They’re not reserve team players and they need five or six games. As long as they’re at Championship clubs or good League One clubs, I don’t mind and we’ll see how they go.”

The Owls have indicated they may make another bid to tempt Cook to Hillsborough, although Millwall remain interested in him – and also in the out-of-favour Rowlands.

Warnock insists he has no plans to loan out another Lions target, Hogan Ephraim – although he did reluctantly agree to let striker Leon Clarke go on loan to Preston last week.

The 25-year-old has started just four times for Rangers since he joined them last summer from Sheffield Wednesday and will stay at Deepdale until the end of the season.

There were no other departures from Loftus Road before the close of the transfer window, although left-back Lee Brown extended his loan with Hayes & Yeading United until the end of the season.