Exclusive: QPR and Middlesbrough contact with Brazilian manager – Championship move on cards

Queens Park Rangers and Middlesbrough have both made contact with Filipe Luís over a potential managerial move. The Brazilian is now firmly on the radar of Championship clubs ahead of the summer.

Sport Witness sources understand the two sides have already held conversations with the coach’s representatives in recent weeks. Watford also retain interest, but their position is less advanced and currently sits in the background.

This is a situation that has been developing quietly. Earlier in April, during Brazilian reporting around Corinthians’ failed attempt to hire him, it was already indicated Filipe Luís was in talks with a Championship club.

That now appears to have evolved into concrete approaches from multiple sides.

Strong profile built at Flamengo

Filipe Luís arrives on the market with a strong and well-documented track record from his time at Flamengo. This is what will have attracted Middlesbrough, QPR and others.

Between 2024 and 2026, he took charge of 101 matches and delivered around 63 to 64 wins. This produced a win rate close to 70%. Therefore, that places him among the most efficient coaches in Brazilian top-flight football during that period.

His trophy haul is equally notable. He lifted five major titles in a short spell – the Copa do Brasil in 2024, followed by a quadruple in 2025 (the Supercopa, state championship, Copa Libertadores and the league). That sequence quickly established him as one of the most successful managers in Flamengo’s recent history.

The numbers behind those titles also stand out. Flamengo scored 184 goals across his 101 matches. That means they averaged comfortably above 1.8 goals per game.

His teams combined attacking output with structural organisation, while his earlier work with the club’s youth sides also drew praise for consistency and development.

Despite that success, his exit in March 2026 came as a surprise. Filipe Luís was dismissed after an 8-0 win in the state championship. There had already been dissatisfaction with the team’s start to the season. Alongside that, there were contractual disagreements behind the scenes… and an alleged betrayal.

Drama over betrayal

As we covered a while ago, Flamengo’s board discovered that Filipe Luís was negotiating with BlueCo, the group that owns Chelsea, in late 2025.

The conversations with the London ownership group took place in the final days of December, while his contract renewal talks were still ongoing in Brazil.

Initially, the former Chelsea defender believed the opportunity could involve a role linked directly to Stamford Bridge. However, he later learned the position under discussion was connected to Strasbourg, another club under the same ownership umbrella.

Filipe Luís went three days without responding to Flamengo during the renewal process. That silence irritated the board. The club president felt personally betrayed.

The manager then resumed negotiations with Flamengo and eventually signed the new deal. But the damage had already been done.

At the same time, Flamengo saw an opportunity in the market. The availability of Portuguese coach Leonardo Jardim increased pressure internally. Ultimately, that contributed to the decision to make a change, even with Filipe Luís’ strong overall record.

QPR and Middlesbrough offer different paths

Filipe Luís is now based in Spain and plans to wait until the European season ends before making a decision, as recently reported by Brazilian journalist Jorge Nicola. His agent, Jorge Mendes, is expected to manage offers as clubs formalise their interest.

Among those clubs, QPR and Middlesbrough stand out for different reasons.

Middlesbrough offer the more competitive short-term project. They remain within reach of the playoff positions and still have a credible path to promotion. Kim Hellberg won 12 of his 26 games in charge, reflecting a side still capable of maintaining their top six spot.

QPR, meanwhile, are further off the pace. Julien Stéphan’s return of 1.33 points per game leaves them around 10 points behind the playoff places. However, the London club are exploring a longer-term rebuild and view Filipe Luís as a potential fit for that direction.

Watford keeping distance for now

Filipe Luís is also on Watford’s radar, although their approach has been more cautious.

They appointed Edward Still in February and are expected to reassess their managerial situation at the end of the season. With around 11 points separating them from the playoff places and an average of 1.18 points per game in recent matches, their focus is not immediate change.

For now, they have kept Filipe Luís on a shortlist for the summer rather than moving forward with talks.

What happens next

In that context, Filipe Luís has made his intentions clear. Jorge Nicola claimed he has rejected Brazilian offers and relocated to Spain to position himself closer to the European market.

There have already been links with clubs such as Atlético Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen. Additionally, there have been previous suggestions involving the BlueCo group and Strasbourg.

With QPR and Middlesbrough now taking concrete steps, the Championship is emerging as a realistic entry point into English football.

Middlesbrough may offer the clearest (or fastest) route to the Premier League, but both clubs are actively shaping the next phase of this story as the summer approaches.