Žan Celar is heading back to Swiss football after Rangers completed his move to FC Basel 1893. QPR chief Christian Nourry has framed the transfer as a reset after a difficult spell in England, and as a return to the league where Celar was once top scorer.

Nourry's view of the move

Nourry did not dress it up. "Zan had a challenging start to English football, working hard to acclimatise to the league," he said. He also pointed to a loan spell in Germany that did not bring enough minutes, adding: "Last season, he was keen to have a platform in Germany to play his football but unfortunately that did not translate into minutes on the pitch."

The background to that reading is fairly plain. Celar joined Rangers from Lugano in 2024, made 23 appearances in 2024-25 and then suffered a hamstring injury. He did still have one bright spell, scoring twice in a key win at Cardiff.

Nourry's most telling line was about where Celar is going next: "He moves to a renowned Swiss club and returns to a league where he finished up as top scorer 24 months ago." That is the attraction here. Basel is not a clean-room environment, but it is a familiar one.

What Basel offer now

The destination matters because Basel are not arriving with spotless momentum. They have lost four of their last five UEFA Europa League matches, which at least suggests Celar is not walking into a side that has everything settled. QPR, for their part, are third in their domestic Premiership group and have won 20 of 38 league matches in the standing provided.

So this is less about a dramatic verdict on Celar's time at QPR and more about a player needing a different setting. The English move never really found a rhythm, and the injury cut into the season further. Basel gives him a return to a league where he has already done the main job a striker is asked to do, score goals.

The move is a sensible one for all involved. QPR move on, Basel get a striker with a track record in Switzerland, and Celar gets a chance to rebuild in a league that already knows his game.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →