Sport

Newcastle hardman may move to QPR

05:50 am on 26 August 2011

The controversial Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton has had a medical with Queens Park Rangers as he considers a move to the Premier League football club.

The 28-year-old has been offered a lucrative deal to join Neil Warnock's team after being told he can leave Newcastle on a free transfer and he has travelled to London to discuss a deal.

The former Manchester City star had indicated he would prefer to stay with Newcastle, but the Magpies have made no attempt to offer him a new contract following Barton's recent war of words with Newcastle owner Mike Ashley and his directors.

Barton took to micro-blogging website Twitter to criticise the club's transfer policy and a perceived lack of ambition following the sales of Andy Carroll and Jose Enrique to Liverpool.

QPR boss Warnock hopes to take advantage of the situation and his newly-promoted club, bolstered by the financial clout of new Malaysian owner Tony Fernandes, are reported to have offered Barton wages of 80,000 a week to move to Loftus Road.