READING have been told they can keep Mikele Leigertwood for the rest of the season – unless QPR sell him in January.

Leigertwood moved to the Madejski Stadium on loan this week after it was made clear to him that he did not figure in Rangers manager Neil Warnock’s plans.

Preston were also interested, but the Lancashire club’s board initially stalled over sanctioning the deal, and in any case the 28-year-old midfielder was keen to sign for Reading once they made an offer.

Leigertwood has joined the Royals on a two-month loan, with an option for the arrangement to be extended until May if he is not sold during the forthcoming transfer window.

Rangers want to offload the former Wimbledon trainee, who was their second longest-serving player and only signed a two-year extension to his contract at Loftus Road earlier this year.

That deal included a release clause, allowing Leigertwood to leave for �1.4m should a bid for him be received, but the Rs will listen to offers for less than that when the window opens.

The clause was inserted at a time when Premier League side Wolves were reported to be interested in him.

Since then, Leigertwood has lost his first-team place and dropped further down the pecking order with the return of club captain Martin Rowlands from a long-term knee injury.

Leigertwood was QPR’s first signing after the Flavio Briatore-led takeover when he moved from Sheffield United – then managed by Warnock – for �925,000 in August 2007.

He has made 10 appearances this season, mostly as a substitute, but has worn a Rangers shirt 141 times overall, scoring 12 goals.

n QPR teenager Josh Parker has joined League Two promotion hopefuls Wycombe Wanderers on a three-month loan deal.

The 19-year-old, who can play on the right side of defence or midfield, is rated as one of Rangers’ best prospects, but manager Neil Warnock has been keen to send him out on loan again ever since he returned early from a spell with Northampton last month.