Nearly a month after saying that Joey Barton would be allowed to seek a free transfer, Newcastle United have finally been seriously contacted by someone who is extremely interested in signing him. Wednesday morning, the Magpies reportedly gave Barton permission to speak with Queens Park Rangers over a possible free transfer to the London club.
Newcastle United Give Joey Barton Permission To Speak With QPR
QPR are off to a bad start in their first year in the Premier League since their 1995-96 season. However, the takeover of the club by Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes has been cause for some renewed optimism. Fernandes plans to run the club as a responsible business, but has won over fans by saying that he will reduce ticket prices and give manager Neil Warnock an initial £10 million transfer budget to strengthen his squad.
Though Adel Taarabt gives QPR plenty of creativity up top, they could seriously use a complete midfield player like Barton to play behind him. Despite the fact that Barton has been on or near the chopping block at Newcastle for quite some time, he’s opened the season with a couple of solid performances and will likely be a big loss as a footballer for Alan Pardew, even if he feels it’s necessary to get Barton and his antics out of his locker room.
For more on a potential Joey Barton transfer and all things Newcastle United, check out SB Nation’s Newcastle blog Coming Home Newcastle.
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