Zaliukas impresses Harry Redknapp at QPR training

Marius Zaliukas: Rejected Ibrox. Picture: SNS

The Lithuania international centre-half turned down an offer from Ally McCoist’s Rangers to instead pursue the offer of a trial with the English Championship league leaders last week.

Zaliukas has been a free agent since departing Tynecastle when his contract expired during the summer. And the 29-year-old, who went up against Redknapp’s Tottenham side when Spurs thrashed Hearts 5-0 on aggregate in the Europa League two years ago, has made a good impression at the London club.

Redknapp said: “He’s been training, he’s done well here. He played in Scotland for a few years. He did well up there and we checked him out with some contacts that we’ve got up there and all the reports are good.

“The two areas of the team we are short in is striker and centre of defence. We’ve got two fit centre backs [Richard Dunne and Clint Hill] who are both in their thirties and we just have to hope that they stay fit.

“But playing Saturday and midweek up to Christmas is a long way to go, so if we need a bit of cover he’s someone we’ve been looking at and it’s a possibility.”