Queens Park Rangers look set to suffer more frustration in the transfer market with Moussa Sissoko about to become the next target to snub a move to Loftus Road.
Rangers set their sights on the Toulouse midfielder after Rubin Kazan moved ahead of them in the race to sign Yann M’Vila.
The controversial France international has agreed a four-year contract with Rubin, although the deal is still being held up as the Russian club attempt to get a transfer embargo overturned.
Rangers appeared to have given up the chase and turned their attentions to Sissoko instead but the 22-year-old is close to completing a switch to Newcastle.
Manager Harry Redknapp (above) is still hoping to buy Peter Odemwingie from West Brom, although they continue to insist the 31-year-old striker is not for sale.
Odemwingie is considering handing in a transfer request in order to force a move to the capital but West Brom coach Steve Clarke is adamant no one will leave The Hawthorns this month.
Redknapp is looking at Dynamo Kiev midfielder Niko Kranjcar, who he worked with at Tottenham, but will miss out on a move for Chelsea’s Florent Malouda. The France international has been frozen out at the Bridge but will not entertain a cut to his £90,000-a-week salary and QPR cannot pay him that much.
Malouda’s contract expires at the end of the season and he is happy to see it out before leaving on a free.
Meanwhile, QPR have confirmed youth-team coach Mark Langton is the subject of an internal inquiry over racism allegations.
Langton has been suspended while the club conduct an investigation into claims made by an unnamed former youth player, who was released after Christmas.
At this stage, QPR do not know when the case will be resolved one way or the other but Langton has denied the allegations.
- Newcastle have agreed a deal with Nancy for 20-year-old defender Massadio Haidara.
