Hughes: QPR ‘nowhere near’ Barton deal
QPR manager Mark Hughes insists the club are a long way from agreeing a deal with Marseille for Cameroon international Stephane Mbia that could see Joey Barton join the French club in exchange.
Marseille expressed some interest in taking Barton after Hughes made an enquiry about buying Mbia, who is potentially available and has been pursued by several European clubs.
Barton has been told he will be left to train with Rangers’ development squad if he chooses not to go.
But Hughes says reports of an agreement with Marseille are wide of the mark.
Hughes explained: “I think it was pre-empted somewhat. We’re nowhere near that stage except that there has been interest shown and I think it would be a good option for Joey.
“There’s been communication and interest shown but there’s been nothing in terms of the financial situation or a player swap.
“I don’t know whether it’d be a six-month loan or for the season or what the options are because we simply haven’t got to that stage yet.”
Marseille president Vincent Labrune has also played down reports that a swap deal is close to being agreed.
Labrune has been quoted by French media as saying: “The condition [of loaning Barton] was that we had a concrete offer for Mbia.
“But the probability of seeing Mbia now sign for QPR is very weak and in this case, the Barton deal is impossible to see.”
Barton was banned for 12 matches by the Football Association and stripped of the captaincy by Rangers after a violent outburst against Manchester City on the final day of last season.
But his first-team prospects this term would have been bleak in any case, as QPR were already planning to replace him.
The club are keen for him to go elsewhere and Hughes is hopeful the midfielder can be persuaded to join Marseille if Rangers can convince Mbia to move to west London.
“There have been decent options put to him [Barton] before but he didn’t feel they were right for him, but I think this one makes sense – for him and certainly for us,” Hughes added.
“This one – if it does come off and progresses– makes sense for everybody.”
Hughes reacted with surprise to Barton’s suggestion on Twitter that he hadn’t been informed he would not be allocated a squad number for the new season.
“I explained to Joey that he wasn’t going to be in my 25 so he needed to look at his options,” said Hughes.
“He could come back and train with the EDS [elite development squad] group but he wouldn’t be training with the full squad, so ideally from his point of view it’d be better if he found a loan situation.”
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