City are weighing up fresh attacking options in the final weeks of the January transfer window, with Justin Obikwu’s abrupt departure forcing the club back into the market.
While our promotion push remains firmly on track, events over the weekend have accelerated plans behind the scenes as we look to maintain momentum in the automatic promotion race. Today, we’re being linked with a move for QPR forward Alfie Lloyd, ironically from QPR, who may not need him despite his recall by Orient.
We sit second in League One after a nine-game unbeaten run, a sequence that has included statement victories over Barnsley, Stockport County and Cardiff City. Confidence around the Bank is high, and there is a growing belief that this squad might just take us into the Championship for the 2026/27 season. However, Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Luton Town, after surrendering a two-goal lead, underlined how fine the margins remain.
That context matters because the loss of Obikwu, recalled by Coventry City to complete a QPR deal worth around £1,000,000 in total leaves us light in the forward areas at a critical stage of the season.
Good luck, Alfie 👊
The forward has been recalled by @QPR 🗞️#LOFC #OneOrient
— Leyton Orient FC (@leytonorientfc) January 16, 2026
Imps consider Alfie Lloyd loan move
Football League World report that we are now exploring a potential loan move for Alfie Lloyd, with talks said to be under way over a deal for the remainder of the campaign. Lloyd has just returned to QPR after his loan spell with Leyton Orient came to an end, and his availability appears to have opened the door.
The 22-year-old is a Yeovil Town academy graduate who joined QPR in 2022 and has already accumulated 31 senior appearances for the Hoops. Last season, he featured regularly in the Championship, making 27 appearances and scoring twice, albeit with most of those outings coming from the bench.
His time at Brisbane Road was mixed. Fitness issues and strong competition limited him to eight League One appearances, only one of which was a start, and he was unable to find the net. Nevertheless, QPR’s current injury problems have delayed a permanent decision on his future, and a fresh temporary move remains firmly on the table.
Why attacking depth still matters
From our perspective, the need to reinforce is clear. We average 1.60 goals per game, the third-best return in the division, but underlying numbers suggest we are relying on ‘little and often’ rather than from one threat. Only Reeco Hackett and Freddie Draper have scored five or more league goals, and with big matches coming up, we need to add options. Freddie Draper and Rob Street have proven they can lead the line, but our high intensity shows we need to have options from the bench, other than Okewoye, who is just not ready.
Whether Lloyd is the solution remains open to debate, and there will be reservations given his recent record. However, Obikwu’s departure has forced our hand, and as has so often been the case under Michael Skubala, trust in the recruitment process will be required. Frankie Okoronkwo and Justib Obikwu were squad members, and any incoming forward will be the same.
With two weeks of the window still to run, this may not be the final move, but it does underline one thing. If we are to sustain a genuine push for automatic promotion, extra firepower is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity.