Redknapp reveals Lassana Diarra capture

QPR manager Harry Redknapp has revealed former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Lassana Diarra is set to move to Loftus Road.

Diarra spent much of his earlier career in the English top-flight having originally left Le Havre for Chelsea in 2005, before going on to play for Arsenal and under Redknapp at Portsmouth.

During his time in England Diarra won the Premier League, League Cup and Community Shield, while he also has two FA Cup winner’s medals.

Diarra had been in Russia since leaving Real Madrid for Anzhi Makhachkala in August 2012 and he cost Lokomotiv a reported €12 million a year later.

The 29-year-old France international was reportedly sacked by Lokomotiv following a falling out with coach Leonid Kuchuk and he looks set to bolster QPR’s midfield options.

Redknapp told the BBC: “We are looking around [for new players]. We have bought some good players but we have some more irons in the fire.

“Lassana [Diarra] has signed and I’m delighted to have him. I had him at Portsmouth and he is a terrific player.”

QPR suffered a blow in the hours leading up to Saturday’s 1-0 win over Sunderland as Loic Remy was withdrawn from the side due to an imminent move to Chelsea.

The France international was set to start at Loftus Road until the move became apparent but Redknapp holds no grudge against the former Newcastle man for making the move to Stamford Bridge.

“We had a spanner thrown in the works at 12 when I got a phone call to say Loic is leaving,” Redknapp told reporters.

“It was a massive shock to me, I didn’t expect that at all. He was going to be playing.

“Yesterday we were working with the team and never had any idea that he would be leaving. It never entered my mind that he would leave.

“It’s not his fault. I’m not criticising him. He’s gone to Chelsea, the Champions League and whatever.

“We can all sit here and say he shouldn’t do it, but it’s a fantastic opportunity for the boy and it’s difficult to turn down.

“He had a buy-out clause. He has to be the cheapest buy of the century because when you look what strikers are going for at the moment, Championship strikers.

“Everyone is £8m, £9m, £12m and there’s a boy, a France international and a top class striker. There’s nothing we could do about it.

“He could have played. It wasn’t the case of him refusing to play. He came in and we had a chat and I said that I needed 11 players out there whose heads are completely on playing for QPR.”