Finances in football are having an increased influence on how the game is played, and more specifically, how a team performs on the field.
The gap between the Premier League and the Championship is increasing dramatically with the meteoric rise in television money through-out the top flight, and although parachute payments are in place to bridge that gap, there is no question the huge deficit in quality between the two leagues.
So how does a team in the Championship attract quality players without being able to afford ever-increasing wages and transfer fees?
Hull City are the latest club to explore the option of forming an affiliation with a top-flight club, after new manager Leonid Slutsky spoke of his conversation with Chelsea owner Roman Ambramovich regarding such an arrangement.
EFL league rules dictate a maximum of four loan signings per season, with two being allowed from one specific team, meaning such an arrangement would be completely viable.
In recent years we've seen similar arrangements provide a mutually beneficial solution, with the parent club allowing their players to get first team experience, while the feeder team gets access to some of the Premier League's most talented youngsters.
This is an approach which could certainly be beneficial to a club like QPR.
With financial restraints holding a number of Championship clubs back, the ability to form a fruitful relationship with a Premier League side could certainly work in the Hoops' favour.
For a top-flight club, the prospect of guaranteeing your player regular football somewhere like Queens Park Ranger is a huge draw. Many youngsters would jump at the chance of playing at Loftus Road week-in week-out, and for Ian Holloway, the chance to get first choice on some talented youngsters could be a way of improving the team without the huge cost of a permanent transfer.
It's certainly something worth considering for the club, and with the financial gap widening between the top two leagues, it may be the way forward.
