Barton close to QPR move

JOEY Barton was last night poised to join QPR after arriving for a medical with the Londoners.

Barton travelled south for talks after the Loftus Road club was given permission to speak to the 28-year-old, still available on a free transfer after falling out with the Newcastle hierarchy earlier this summer.

The midfielder continues to state that he wishes to remain at Newcastle, but with only one year left on his contract and no new deal forthcoming, he believes he is being forced out.

“Going for a medical now, still no contract offer from NUFC… think that just about makes my mind up,” Barton wrote on his Twitter account.

“Don’t want to leave Newcastle… I’ve made that clear, but my hands are tied.”

Barton’s relationship with the Newcastle board broke down after he criticised the club’s recruitment policy via Twitter.

Having been forced to train with the youth team and alone in the aftermath of that incident, Barton started Newcastle’s first two games of the Barclays Premier League season after persuading manager Alan Pardew he was fully focused on the task ahead.

He joined the club for £5.8 million from Manchester City in June 2007, and had looked close to signing a new deal in January, but talks stalled following Andy Carroll’s departure for Liverpool. The contract on the table then has since been withdrawn and the player has been told he will not be offered another.

The sale of Kevin Nolan to West Ham irked the once-capped England international further, and his comments on the Magpies’ efforts to strengthen the squad this summer were not well received in the boardroom. However, Barton, arguably the club’s best player last season, has continued to perform on the pitch and has played his part in a stormy 0-0 opening-day draw with Arsenal and Saturday’s 1-0 victory at Sunderland.