Harry Redknapp’s December assertion that QPR would not spend big in the January transfer market was predictably blown out of the water today as the club completed the record signing of Loic Remy.

Facts

The 26-year-old French international forward has moved to Loftus Road for a fee reported to be in the region of £8m on a four and a half year contract. For a club with an 18,000 stadium, staring down the barrel of relegation and already nursing a colossal wage bill it represents the latest in a long line a very big gambles.

Remy initially cost Marseille €13m when he joined from Nice in 2010. He’d initially come through the ranks at his home-town club Lyon and collected two league title medals after making his debut in 2006 – although he was only a bit part player and used mostly as a substitute. A move south to Nice followed and he was the club’s leading goalscorer in 2008/09 with 11, and again in 2009/10 with 14. That prompted the big money move to Marseille and he scored 17 Ligue 1 goals in 2010/11 and 22 last year.

That prompted interest from elsewhere in Europe and his move to QPR this week has been helped by Harry Redknapp’s long standing interest in the player. Tottenham were linked with a £20m move for him a year ago. It didn’t go through, Remy stayed in Marseille, and fell out of favour this season with just three goals and 19 appearances – mainly from the bench or in the Europa League – to his name. He has only started twice in the league this term.

Internationally Remy broke into the France Under 21 set up while at Lyon and made his debut for the full side in a friendly against Nigeria in 2009. He has 17 caps and four goals.

Newcastle United appeared to be the front runners for his signature having agreed a fee with Marseille and flown him to the UK for talks but he has since signed a four and a half year contract at Loftus Road and will wear squad number 18.

Reaction

“I want to develop my game here. This season the objective is to stay up but beyond that we have greater objectives. After seven years in France, this is the right time for me to pursue a new challenge in the Premier League – the best League in the world. I am confident I can adapt to the Premier League. My main characteristics have taken me to the level I am at today but I am keen to keep improving in the Premier League.” -Loic Remy

“I didn’t think we’d get him to be honest but Tony Fernandes worked ever so hard on this. He wouldn’t give up on it, and it’s great that we now have him here with us. He’s always been a player I’ve admired. I’ve watched him on so many occasions throughout the last few years. I actually spent three or four hours with him last year so he knew what I thought of him, and I think that was important. He’s quick, can score goals and makes great runs. His movement is excellent. He’s got the potential to be a really outstanding striker.” -Harry Redknapp

I know financially it could be crippling, and it is the opposite to the kind of direction I wanted the club to go after the last 18 months, but you can help but be excited when your club signs a talented striker. I am really looking forward to seeing him at West Ham and I hope the fans don’t hold the money issues against him. If he and any new signing bring the work rate and commitment to go with their talent, we have some genuinely good players on our hands. Taarabt must be rubbing his hands together.... -Simmo

Four and a half year contract on who knows how many tens of thousand pounds per week. Why do we give out such long contracts? We never learn. With our wage bill it's going to be totally frightening next season in the Championship, barring a miracle. Japrangers

Actually I think this signing is well worth the risk just what we need at the right time. We need a top class goal scorer and I think this fella fits the bill sometimes you have to take the necessary risks to achieve your goal. Staying up looks more possible to me every day Harry has been at the club. CarrotcrunchR

With all caveats in place that I think that Remy, and in particular M'Vila are absolutely 'triffic signings, I can't help be be slightly worried by the comments that 'Tony Fernandes worked really hard on the deal, I didn't think it would happen...' is essentially a euphemism for the following conversation:

How about 40K? no?

what about 50k? no?

I can go to 60k? no?

Alright, 70k though, but don't tell the others... no?

Fine, 80k it is...

-Jeff

Opinion

QPR supporters have, Pavlov’s dog style, been conditioned to fear new signings over the last 12 months. When your football club goes out and buys a new player – particularly a club record purchase of a 26-year-old French international coveted by other Premier League teams – the initial reaction should be excitement and yet for many among the Rangers fanbase to news that Loic Remy has turned down Newcastle to move to Loftus Road instead has been a cause for consternation and worry.

A total of 16 players have arrived at Loftus Road over the past 12 months and the outcome has been catastrophic. The wage bill has soared while team spirit has disintegrated; the squad is bloated with many players earning colossal wages and contributing nothing at all; the relationship between players and supporters so strong after promotion 18 months ago has completely collapsed. Each new player has made QPR progressively worse. If Pavlov had smacked his dog between the eyes with a newspaper every time he rang the bell then the mutt would have come to fear the jingle whenever it sounded, and QPR fans are now incredibly wary of any new arrival in W12.

Remy is essentially everything QPR are currently crying out for; a strong, quick, focal point for the attack with an eye for goal and a powerful physique that will worry defenders. Adel Taarabt has manfully and skilfully handled his move to a lone striker position in recent weeks but even his robust frame can only take so much of the punishment it received from Michael Dawson and Jan Vertonghen against Spurs at the weekend. Remy will remove responsibility from Taarabt’s shoulders, free space for him to work in, and finish chances the Moroccan creates. With Andy Johnson out for the season, Bobby Zamora still busying himself with things other than football and Djibril Cisse seemingly on his way out it’s a crucial addition to a flagging attack.

But then not many of the 16 new arrivals that Mark Hughes inflicted on our club looked like bad signings at the time. Ji-Sung Park had been a key component to the midfield engine in Man Utd’s most difficult and important games for several seasons and seemed cheap at a starting price of £2m – as soon as he pulled on the blue and white hoops the man they used to call Three Lung possessed all the stamina and energy of a smoker outside the hospital doors. Zamora, Johnson, Robert Green, Esteban Granero and others all seemed like sound buys only to disappoint. Jose Bosingwa won the Champions League in May and arrived on a free transfer aged just 29 – he’ll go down as one of QPR’s worst ever signings.

There are warning signs with Remy that have been present with some of the other high profile disasters. He hasn’t been starting or scoring for Marseille this season – one goal from 14 appearances in a division nowhere near as strong as the Premier League – for a start. His reputation as something of a flat track bully – bolstering his goal tally by scoring regularly against the division’s lesser teams while struggling against the better ones another. And then there’s the fact that until Monday afternoon he seemed absolutely nailed on to sign for Newcastle United only to suddenly be persuaded otherwise by QPR. Now this isn’t as big a worry as it would have been last season – he’s turned down a Newcastle side that’s actually only seven points and four places better off than Rangers rather than the Champions League chasing side of a year ago – but when Harry Redknapp says Tony Fernandes “wouldn’t give up” and “worked very hard” on the deal it’s hard to believe that Rangers haven’t once again handed out an extortionate contract which they’re now tied into for four and a half years.

One concern that should be a big talking point of the forthcoming fans forum is just how on earth QPR can sustain their current wage bill if they are relegated to the Championship, and what the contingency plans are if they don’t bounce straight back within the first season or two. Even if that is all planned for and in hand, wasn’t half the problem under Hughes the split in the dressing room between the haves and the have nots?

For now, Harry Redknapp is owed some faith. He’s created a team from the shambles he inherited and I thought that was beyond the capabilities of any one man three months ago. He’s got QPR into a shape and style, organised them and made them difficult to beat and now he wants a dynamic cutting edge for the top end of the team to turn draws like the one against Tottenham at the weekend into wins. It’s hard to begrudge him that given the work he’s done so far, but this transfer will only increase the volume on the “next Portsmouth” criticism that stalks QPR at every turn.

I’m confident Redknapp knows what he’s doing, but does Tony Fernandes?

Tweet @loftforwords

Pictures – Action Images

Photo: Action Images

QPRFish added 02:43 - Jan 17 ca sera sera, whatever will be will be, we're heading for bankruptcy, ca sera sera...
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jazzybob added 03:56 - Jan 17 I despair. Somehow I don't think the spending habits would be curbed even in the championship until we got a proper footballing person on the board. I don't know what Harry is playing at. For a supposedly great man manager he had a pretty decent foundation at the club. Hughes may have gone all football manager but given Redknapp's insistence on wasteful spending he should have made things work. Yes, CB was never prioritised, even by Hughes and we are genuiWhonely lacking there. I think Onuoha could play there but doesn't really know his role at the club. What irritates me so much is the insistence on a new striker. Cisse is a very clinical finisher. The amount of hate shown makes no sense. Why was he called lazy when he was never the typical English CF with his back to the defence holding up play? Pass the ball to him in the box and he's usually threatening. Then, he gets more hate for not running the channels but why have your best finisher on the wing chasing and crossing. He just needed better service. Who is going to partner Remy? The same thing is going to happen. We play one up front and then expect the striker to chase the ball everywhere. Who is going to be dropped when we want Taraabt and Remy on the pitch? In spite of all of that, why not loan with an option to buy? Bothroyd, campbell, zamora and johnson are still on the books. We forget about them the same way hughes discarded hill, derry, mackie and even taraabt for a few games at the beginning of the season. What is the point of m'vila as well? He is seriously temperamental and we don't need more midfielders unless mbia will defend again, or whatever. Wages too? Nobody knows their role here. I'd be devastated if we go down but it might be for the best. Will Harry stick around? I dunno. This club needs to be built again by people who care with vision. I'd like to be even more comprehensive but I'd be here for days typing and my phone may have caused some words to be half deleted in places.

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jazzybob added 03:58 - Jan 17 I despair. Somehow I don't think the spending habits would be curbed even in the championship until we got a proper footballing person on the board. I don't know what Harry is playing at. For a supposedly great man manager he had a pretty decent foundation at the club. Hughes may have gone all football manager but given Redknapp's insistence on wasteful spending he should have made things work. Yes, CB was never prioritised, even by Hughes and we are genuiWhonely lacking there. I think Onuoha could play there but doesn't really know his role at the club. What irritates me so much is the insistence on a new striker. Cisse is a very clinical finisher. The amount of hate shown makes no sense. Why was he called lazy when he was never the typical English CF with his back to the defence holding up play? Pass the ball to him in the box and he's usually threatening. Then, he gets more hate for not running the channels but why have your best finisher on the wing chasing and crossing. He just needed better service. Who is going to partner Remy? The same thing is going to happen. We play one up front and then expect the striker to chase the ball everywhere. Who is going to be dropped when we want Taraabt and Remy on the pitch? In spite of all of that, why not loan with an option to buy? Bothroyd, campbell, zamora and johnson are still on the books. We forget about them the same way hughes discarded hill, derry, mackie and even taraabt for a few games at the beginning of the season. What is the point of m'vila as well? He is seriously temperamental and we don't need more midfielders unless mbia will defend again, or whatever. Wages too? Nobody knows their role here. I'd be devastated if we go down but it might be for the best. Will Harry stick around? I dunno. This club needs to be built again by people who care with vision. I'd like to be even more comprehensive but I'd be here for days typing and my phone may have caused some words to be half deleted in places.

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ozranger added 05:31 - Jan 17 I'd like to ignore the spending here for a moment, which appears to be the concerns of many. I am rather more concerned about the interview. If he was more than genuine to come to QPR instead of to make a decision to come to the EPL for as much money as he could get then I would be satisfied. I see nothing here where he says "I am coming to QPR to help them avoid relegation." If that had come out of Loic's mouth there would have been much admiration, but what he said does not leave me with much confidence. Maybe it was just lost in translation or maybe he has been talking with Barton too much.

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Kaos_Agent added 06:02 - Jan 17 Nicely summarized again Clive. It would be nice to know the circumstances in which Remy scored all those goals prior to 2012-13. And specifically whether the current QPR squad can replicate those conditions. Does he require service? Cisse was not getting much. The youtube clips suggest that he can dance with the ball similar to Adel, and can finish any number of ways. Encouraging. M'Vila has been described as world-class but with attitude and work ethic issues. With those attributes, I can't understand how on earth Hughes missed him. We have to really hope that Harry knows what he's doing with both of these guys but I agree with you Clive that he deserves to have his shot at picking some winners. Tony has to be admired for his persistence and nerve. Speaking of which, there will be plenty of nerves all round until an offense materializes.

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stuabd added 06:11 - Jan 17 I guess the worst case scenario is he gets an injury, loses confidence/pace, can't get it back and is unable to find another club who'll pay these wages, decides to sit tight and finish his contract or gets a huge pay-off. On the other hand he could do a Cisse at Newcastle last season and score loads of goals.
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themodfather added 07:27 - Jan 17 the club finances are paramount, we have spent spent spent and got little in return, we scraped thru last season, mainly due to the "old guard". we need an offload and not just loans. let's hope remy settles in quickly and maybe can influence m'vila to sign too and motivate cisse! 'arry has done good business over the years so i hope we have found a jewel here, look how well demba ba has done.

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QPRski added 07:55 - Jan 17 He is the type of young faster player we need, who also seems to be very good in the air. The key challenge is to get him to fit into the team immediately and to avoid the phrase "we need to gel". Harry has clearly already made progress and was able to sustain this with a victory with a B team at the West Brom Cup tie. All I can say is "in Harry I trust", but the measure will the results from now to the end of the season. It is a gamble, but a gamble with taking.

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kinderegg added 09:05 - Jan 17 I don't know why people are getting so worried.. If we go down he will leave..so what's the problem. Goals is the name of the game..since when have we actually signed a decent striker, not an old has-been.. He is young, (unlike a lot of our signings), good by all accounts, And hungry. I see it as a good deal. Use his pace with adel's guile we should score a few more. We are only loosing by the odd goal anyway.. Bring it on!!!

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R_in_Sweden added 09:07 - Jan 17 I mentioned scouring the lower divisions for hungry talent earlier but this doesn't seem to be the way we do things at QPR anymore. All the signs are there that this could be another expensive mistake, what with Remy's form and lack of league games (and goals) this season. New style of football, cold British weather, cultural differences etc. But then if I put my glass half full head on and not worry about being accused of groupie like behaviour towards our "Moroccan magician", he could be the perfect compliment to Taarabt that we've been waiting for (they speak the same lingo as well). He needs to start on fire, a bit like our beloved Agyemang when he had his purple patch, although with absolutely no similarity whatsoever to Patrik's "style" of play.

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nadera78 added 09:48 - Jan 17 Remy is outstanding on FIFA 13, which is where Fernandes likes to do his scouting, so it's looking good for QPR.
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fakekerby added 10:13 - Jan 17 Given that we can't ever win against our rivals in the 6 pointers i'd take this to be a positive: "His reputation as something of a flat track bully – bolstering his goal tally by scoring regularly against the division’s lesser teams while struggling against the better ones another" We need someone who batters the poorer teams in the division. I'm always far more confident when we play a top 6 team than a bottom 6 team and that can't be right!

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jazzybob added 10:22 - Jan 17 I despair. Somehow I don't think the spending habits would be curbed even in the championship until we got a proper footballing person on the board. I don't know what Harry is playing at. For a supposedly great man manager he had a pretty decent foundation at the club. Hughes may have gone all football manager but given Redknapp's insistence on wasteful spending he should have made things work. Yes, CB was never prioritised, even by Hughes and we are genuiWhonely lacking there. I think Onuoha could play there but doesn't really know his role at the club. What irritates me so much is the insistence on a new striker. Cisse is a very clinical finisher. The amount of hate shown makes no sense. Why was he called lazy when he was never the typical English CF with his back to the defence holding up play? Pass the ball to him in the box and he's usually threatening. Then, he gets more hate for not running the channels but why have your best finisher on the wing chasing and crossing. He just needed better service. Who is going to partner Remy? The same thing is going to happen. We play one up front and then expect the striker to chase the ball everywhere. Who is going to be dropped when we want Taraabt and Remy on the pitch? In spite of all of that, why not loan with an option to buy? Bothroyd, campbell, zamora and johnson are still on the books. We forget about them the same way hughes discarded hill, derry, mackie and even taraabt for a few games at the beginning of the season. What is the point of m'vila as well? He is seriously temperamental and we don't need more midfielders unless mbia will defend again, or whatever. Wages too? Nobody knows their role here. I'd be devastated if we go down but it might be for the best. Will Harry stick around? I dunno. This club needs to be built again by people who care with vision. I'd like to be even more comprehensive but I'd be here for days typing and my phone may have caused some words to be half deleted in places.

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qprmick added 10:46 - Jan 17 Negativity, Christ give the bloke a chance to lace his boots up before we condemn the buy. If we remain in the Premier due to Remys goals they will pay for any fees and wages incurred.
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GroveR added 12:09 - Jan 17 "Given that we can't ever win against our rivals in the 6 pointers i'd take this to be a positive: "His reputation as something of a flat track bully – bolstering his goal tally by scoring regularly against the division’s lesser teams while struggling against the better ones another" We need someone who batters the poorer teams in the division. I'm always far more confident when we play a top 6 team than a bottom 6 team and that can't be right! " That +1 Terry Henry was always labelled a flat-track bully as well and if this guy is a tenth that good in this league he's worth the money.

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TacticalR added 14:13 - Jan 17 As you say 'QPR supporters have, Pavlov’s dog style, been conditioned to fear new signings over the last 12 months.' The worse thing about some of our most expensive signings is that paying a lot doesn't mean you get what you paid for. I must admit I am in a state of confusion about this one. I suppose it all depends on whether you think we can stay up or not, and whether Redknapp is a good judge of players for QPR (which we don't know yet). It's obviously completely contrary to the strategy many of us were talking about in December of trying to find bargains in the lower leagues and preparing for relegation. On the other hand it's not as bad as buying burnt-out players from big clubs in the Premiership. But basically the club is pursuing the same strategy as before. The question is, can Redknapp make it work? If this was a Hughes purchase, then I would be very nervous, because Hughes proved a bad judge of players. At least Redknapp has shown that he can elicit performances from different players. Perhaps it's better to put the issue of money aside, and focus on the player. I don't know too much about Rémy, but as he has played as a winger, I really hope he has a bit more to his game than Cissé, and can at least hold up the ball. Despite our recent impressive defensive performances, we do need some attacking flair up front, especially against the sides lower down the table (although even that is risky as it may disturb the current balance of the team). As he's only 26 hopefully he won't have the injury issues that have afflicted the older players such as Zamora, Johnson and Park.

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Imelda added 14:16 - Jan 17 one of the newspapers called him "another Charlie big-potatoes" We can only wait and see....
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JB007007 added 18:57 - Jan 17 I dont know if I can make my point and thinking come through here but my thoughts and concerns are; We all know the premier league is a higher standard than the French First Division. I'm not sure where it sits in comparison to the higher reaches of the Championship. Imagine we see a player called DJ Campbell banging 10 goals in 16 games in that league. We would start talking about him being a potential QPR signing. What I'm trying to say is and I'm not comparing the two, but are we actually buying better than we have. Apparently this guy's been injured and I hear he's not been the same. I've never seen him play so will reserve judgement until I've watched him a few times. Once again we have trust our manager and his team, but I worry about the money we're continuing to do here.

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nat_tv_griff added 19:25 - Jan 17 Bonkers
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Bedford_R added 20:35 - Jan 17 Give the lad a chance for farks sake. If he doesn't score a hat trick on Saturday then slag him off to your heats content..
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baz_qpr added 21:19 - Jan 17 He cost the same amount as Jordan Rhodes a player that had only proved himself at league one level. If you are gonna pay through the nose you do it for a striker. Strikers do not come cheap at any level unless they are totally unproven or on the way down. For all the stuff pointing at Michu he was in the spanish 2nd division and his club was going bust found by a manager who had been living and playing in spain. I dont mind playing through the nose for a striker or a goalie or a playmaker. West ham are paying Carroll 100K per week and are committed to a 18m transfer. If we go down he has a relegation release clause and will go to the highest bidder.

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YorkRanger added 21:28 - Jan 17 I suggest we give him a chance and assume that those closer to the club, who understand the contractual terms and financial obligations better than anyone on here, have made a properly evlauted commercial decisison. If we go down, he will almost certainly leave. If he scores the goals to keep us up, who cares if he is here for the money.
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francisbowles added 22:21 - Jan 17 Unfortunately, Cisse doesn't suit the way we play, i.e. is incapable of working hard enough in the lone striker role. I trust Harry to know enough about Remy to be sure he is totally suited to the role. M'Villa, if we do get him would be more of a concern. Reports make him sound like a French Barton! I wouldn't be surprised to see Remy start on the bench on Saturday with Tarabt up front again. Then change it with about 35 mins to go. Although. I haven't been able to guess Harry's selections so far. Let's hope we can keep the momentum going and add to our points tally.

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Northernr added 00:01 - Jan 18 You would think that 16 new signings resulting in the disastrous season we're having would deter this "must be positive" "give him a chance" "don't be negative" nonsense - but apparently not. Funny old game.
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Kaos_Agent added 03:31 - Jan 18 I think the difference this time is that Remy is coming to a tighter more confident team than the Hughes signings did. He's a lucky boy in that respect.
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