Anzhi director says QPR were 'out of their minds' to splash out on Samba

Harry Redknapp and gambles in the transfer market goes hand in glove, but even by his standards the package to take Chris Samba to Loftus Road was risky.



While most people were scratching their heads that the club would pay £12.5 million and offer £100,000 a week over four and a half years for the former Blackburn centre-half, it seems Anzi Makhachkala themselves couldn’t get over the offer made for their Congolese defender.



Director of the big-spending Russian club German Tkachenko said that the club wept – in a good way – when the offer came in and think that the London club were out of their minds to pay such sums in order to get the defender.



“At QPR he will earn almost as much as he did at Anzhi. In my view QPR have lost their minds,” he told Russian media.



“When they agreed to pay his release fee we wept. He [Samba] wept. Everybody says that he ran away from the club, but that's not true. He didn't put any pressure on the club until we received an offer from QPR for £12.5m, the amount required by his contract,” he added.



He did suggest that Samba is also one of the top five defenders in Europe, but maybe he sees qualities most others don’t.



Seven points adrift of safety, Samba will need to tighten up a porous defence very quickly or we will soon be looking at perhaps the highest earning player ever to feature in the Championship.

QPR sign France striker Remy

QPR have completed the signing of France striker Loic Remy from Marseille for an undisclosed club-record fee on a four-and-a-half year deal.



The 26-year-old has penned a contract until summer 2017 at Loftus Road after choosing the Barclays Premier League basement boys over Newcastle.



Hoops boss Harry Redknapp told QPR's official website: "I'm delighted to bring him in - he's a great buy for us."



The official fee for the 26-year-old has not been disclosed, but it is reported to be in the region of £8million.



Redknapp added: "I didn't think we'd get him to be honest but (chairman) Tony Fernandes worked ever so hard on this. He wouldn't give up on it, and it's great that we now have him here with us.



"He's always been a player I've admired. I've watched him on so many occasions throughout the last few years. I actually spent three or four hours with him last year so he knew what I thought of him, and I think that was important.



"He's quick, can score goals and makes great runs. His movement is excellent. He's got the potential to be a really outstanding striker."



Remy, who has four goals in 17 caps for France, is eligible to make his Rangers debut against West Ham Saturday, subject to receiving international clearance.



He said: "Harry played a big part in me coming here. I spoke to him and Tony Fernandes at length and they made it clear they wanted me here. They gave me the right motivation to join QPR.



"I want to develop my game here. This season the objective is to stay up but beyond that we have greater objectives.



"After seven years in France, this is the right time for me to pursue a new challenge in the Premier League - the best League in the world.



"I am confident I can adapt to the Premier League. My main characteristics have taken me to the level I am at today but I am keen to keep improving in the Premier League."

QPR sign Ben Haim on short-term deal

QPR manager Harry Redknapp has confirmed the signing of defender Tal Ben Haim on a short-term contract until the end of the season.



The Isreali international has been a free agent since leaving Portsmouth in August 2012 and joins in time to face West Brom in the FA Cup on Saturday.



The 30-year-old has been training with the R's for the past six weeks and Redknapp believes his experience will help them avoid relegation.



“Tal’s a great professional with vast experience and I’m confident he’ll be a really useful addition to the squad,” Redknapp told www.qpr.co.uk.



“His attitude is first class and the fact he can play anywhere across the back four is obviously a big bonus for us.



“He just wants to play. He’s not here for the money or anything like that. He just wants to come in and do his best for the club.”

Redknapp: I was offered Sneijder

Inter Milan star Wesley Sneijder has been offered by an agent to relegation-haunted QPR, according to their manager Harry Redknapp.



The 28-year-old Holland international has been linked with a host of Barclays Premier League clubs, including Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool, as the Italian giants look to get him off their wage bill.



Redknapp told The Sun: "I was asked by one agent if I wanted to sign Sneijder. Of course I do. However, he's on about £200,000 a week and now he wants to join QPR? I won't name the agent, but let's just say I think a deal is unlikely."



Inter have asked Sneijder to take a pay cut if he wants to stay at the club, something he has not agreed to do.

Redknapp to ring the changes

QPR will be aiming for just their second win of the league campaign while West Brom returned to winning ways last Saturday.

Harry Redknapp looks set to ring the changes for QPR after his criticism of the side that lost to Newcastle on Saturday.

Julio Cesar may be available after a back problem, while Nedum Onuoha and Armand Traore are doubts with hamstring problems.

Ji-Sung Park (knee), Andrew Johnson (knee) and Bobby Zamora (hip) are still unavailable, while Keiron Dyer remains a long-term absentee

West Brom's Youssouf Mulumbu is available after suspension for the trip to Loftus Road.

The midfielder was unavailable for the weekend home win over Norwich after incurring five bookings this season.



Baggies boss Steve Clarke will check on the fitness of defender Steven Reid (ankle) and midfielder Claudio Yacob (hamstring) before finalising his side.


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QPR-West Brom to go ahead on Boxing Day

QPR have confirmed their Boxing Day match against West Brom will go ahead, despite a Tube strike in London.

London Underground drivers are to stage three strikes, the first of which is scheduled for Boxing Day, in a row over Bank Holiday pay.

A statement on QPR's official website read: "The Boxing Day fixture against West Bromwich Albion will go ahead as scheduled, despite Tube services across the capital being affected by a drivers strike.

"The Barclays Premier League clash against the Baggies will kick-off at 3.00pm, although supporters are advised to allow extra time for their journeys to and from Loftus Road.

"Buses will be running on the usual Sunday/Bank Holiday service on the day of the fixture, whilst parking in the borough will be free."

Arsenal are due to face West Ham on December 26, while Fulham against Southampton is another Premier League match scheduled for that day.

Members of the union Aslef will walk out for 24 hours on December 26, and again on January 18 and 25, threatening travel chaos in the capital.

The move was announced after Aslef members voted by 9-1 in favour of strikes in a long-running row over extra pay for working on Bank Holidays.


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QPR duo could be missing

QPR's Adel Taraabt and Samba Diakite could be missing from action in January if they are called up for international duty.

The African Cup of Nations gets underway on the 19th January in South Africa leaving the two R's players with a key decision to make.



Taraabt, who represents Morocco, and Diakite, who hails from Mali, are expected to be called up by their nations, but both players have hinted that they would rather stay in England to help the west London club fight their way out of the relegation zone.



The tournament has traditionally been held in even numbered years since 1968, but the Confederation of African Football has opted to change to odd numbered years in order to help their national sides who are involved in the World Cup.



This change has meant the competition has been held twice in 12 months, and Premier League managers will lose their players for up to a month.



"It's a nightmare when you've got African players - that's your problem," Redknapp said.



"We'll have to wait and see if Adel and Samba go. I don't know what his situation is though either.



"There are plenty of games between now and then and they'll have an idea of what's happening."

Barton wants Marseille stay

Joey Barton believes he will not return to Queens Park Rangers if they are relegated, while he has also opened talks about extending his stay at Marseille.

Barton, 30, is currently on loan at the French club until the end of the season, when he will be due to return to west London.

But the midfielder feels he is more likely to be playing his football at Stade Velodrome than Loftus Road next season.

"For me to be part of the side that stayed up and not be part of the side that went down, it would be difficult for me to go back," Barton said. "I haven't closed my mind to it although I would really like to stay here.

"I'm in a good space mentally. I've held preliminary talks with Marseille about extending my stay here. They have asked me whether I would stay beyond the loan period.

"The likelihood is, unless there is a massive turnaround in fortunes, QPR will be in the Championship next season. What it seems to me as a neutral - and I am in France, no matter that I am contracted - is that they have got a big case of a lot of good individuals, a lot of good quality individuals, but not a good team."

Barton, who still has two years left on his QPR contract, moved to Marseille after being banned for 12 matches by the Football Association for his violent conduct against Manchester City on the final day of last season.

"It didn't end in great circumstances in west London for me," Barton said. "I know there has been a change in terms of the management structure, but something like that, and what goes on around that, lives with you beyond a managerial change."

That managerial change has seen Harry Redknapp come in to replace the sacked Mark Hughes and Barton believes that Redknapp has the experience to give the club a fighting chance of staying up.

"Harry Redknapp's record speaks for itself," he said. "This time last year he was being talked about as the only successor to Fabio Capello. He has always done well with players and always got players on board. He is a really good man-manager.

"If anyone can pull the players together, a manager of Redknapp's calibre is capable of that. They are in with a good chance now with Harry there."

QPR are currently bottom of the Premier League table, eight points adrift of safety, having still yet to record a win this season.

Zlatan urges Beckham to snub QPR for PSG

David Beckham should forget about a return to the Premier League with QPR and sign for Paris Saint-Germain, according to Zlatan Ibrahimovic.



Former England captain Beckham will play his final game in Major League Soccer when LA Galaxy face Houston Dynamo in the MLS Cup final on December 1, after which he is on the lookout for "one final challenge".



Moves to the Australian A-League and links with West Ham and now QPR, following the appointment of Harry Redknapp as manager, have been suggested as possible destinations for the former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder, but Ibrahimovic believes Beckham would serve the French side's ambitious project well.



"I am sure there will be many offers for him from clubs all over the world, but it is a very exciting project here in Paris and if he still wants more trophies then this is the right club for him to join," Ibrahimovic said.



"We can win the Champions League over the next two seasons with the team that is being built."



Redknapp has also expressed his interest in bringing Beckham to Loftus Road, having invited him to train with Tottenham during the MLS off-season in January 2011.



"I worked with him at Tottenham when he came to train and he is top drawer. He was great," Redknapp said. "He's a top class professional and would be great to have around the place.



"He can set a fantastic example in terms of his approach to training, everything. He's not just a great player, but a great guy as well."

Redknapp on the brink at QPR

Harry Redknapp says he is looking forward to the challenge of attempting to lead QPR away from the Premier League relegation zone.



The 65-year-old is poised to take over the reins at Loftus Road after Mark Hughes was sacked on Friday morning, and is on the brink of agreeing a deal following a day of negotiations.



Rangers are four points adrift at the bottom of the table after failing to win any of their opening 12 matches but Redknapp believes he can guide them to safety.



"I'm hopeful we can get it done tonight, there shouldn't be any problems," said Redknapp, who has been out of work since leaving Tottenham in the summer.



"I fancy getting back into the Premier League. QPR is a good club, with great fans and a great atmosphere.



"I am looking forward to it. It's a big challenge. It will be a tough job to take on but I am up for the challenge."

Hoilett slams QPR performance

Junior Hoilett has slated QPR's 3-1 defeat to Southampton on Saturday.



The defeat left the club marooned at the bottom of the table and manager Mark Hughes under intense pressure.



Hoilett scored a consolation goal for the Hoops but admitted to the club's official website that they got what they deserved.



"The first half just wasn't good enough," the Canadian said.



"We came out second to everything and that's not acceptable.



"We got a rollocking from the manager at half-time. We came out strong in the second half, but we left ourselves with too much to do to get ourselves back into the game. We've just got to look to the next game now and push on from here.



"The goal means nothing to me personally. It's a team sport and when you're going through a tough time like we are you can't personally take anything from scoring in a defeat."



The QPR fans were audibly unhappy with the team's performance and chants of "You’re only here for the money" were heard during the game, as well as calls for Harry Redknapp to be brought in as Hughes' replacement.



"I can understand the fans' frustrations," Hoilett said.



"We're as frustrated as they are because we want to change this around and climb the table.



"Everybody in the dressing room was hugely disappointed with the result.



"We're all really disappointed and frustrated with how things are going at the moment, but we will work hard to put it right. We've got to stick together as a team."



QPR face Manchester United next weekend at Old Trafford, with both teams determined to get back to winning ways after defeats on Saturday, and Hoilett knows that the pressure will be on.



"The next one is a tough one against Manchester United," he said.



"But we need to treat it like any other. We need to work hard in training this week as a team and be ready for Old Trafford."