Wolverhampton Wanderers have been rejected in talks with QPR boss Michael Beale, leaving talkSPORT's Alex Crook stunned.

The Lowdown: Beale is off

Fosun and Jeff Shi have been on the hunt to find Bruno Lage’s successor following his sacking earlier this month and had initially identified Julen Lopetegui as their number one target, though he turned down a move to the Premier League for personal reasons.

The Old Gold then switched their attention towards the 42-year-old QPR boss, who was their new first-choice option, with reports even suggesting that an agreement between the two parties has already been reached.

However, Matt Law of The Telegraph revealed on Thursday morning that the Hoops boss has turned down the chance to come to Molineux, leaving Crook stunned.

The Latest: Crook reacts

Taking to Twitter, talkSPORT's top transfer guru couldn't hide his surprise over Beale's decision, saying: "Didn't see this coming and nor did Wolves."

Crook revealed earlier in the week that the alternative options after Beale are Peter Bosz and Nuno Espirito Santo, so it will be interesting to see where Fosun turn next.

The Verdict: Huge blow

Wolves being rejected by Beale to stay at a club in the second tier will come as a huge blow to the Old Gold given his impressive record, not to mention having already been turned down by Lopetegui.

The Hoops boss has won eight and drawn three of his 16 games in charge at Loftus Road and currently averages 1.69 points per match, form which he sees his side sitting at the top of the Championship table (Transfermarkt).

The Bromley-born coach is also widely known for playing with an attacking 4-3-3 formation, and this positive outlook is exactly what Wanderers fans want to see.