Redknapp wants Beckham at QPR

Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham of England looks up at the crowd while playing against San Jose Earthquakes during the first half of their MLS playoff soccer match, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham of England looks up at the crowd while playing against San Jose Earthquakes during the first half of their MLS playoff soccer match, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

Published Nov 25, 2012

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London – Harry Redknapp has rekindled his interest in signing David Beckham, as he bids to guide new club Queens Park Rangers off the foot of the Premier League table and towards safety.

Redknapp was appointed as QPR manager on Saturday morning, a day after the sacking of Mark Hughes, and later watched from the stands at Old Trafford as his new side lost 3-1 to Manchester United.

QPR's shortage of funds means Redknapp may not be able to sign new players in the January transfer window, but he has suggested he could make a move for Beckham.

The former England captain will leave the Los Angeles Galaxy after their MLS Cup final clash with Houston Dynamo next Saturday.

He spent time training under Redknapp at Tottenham Hotspur in January last year, after a proposed loan move from the Galaxy fell through.

“I'm sure he could still play in the Premier League,” Redknapp told BBC Radio Five Live on Sunday.

“He is a top player and a fantastic person. We had him at Tottenham training and he was amazing around the place, absolute class.

“I haven't discussed it with the chairman (Tony Fernandes) at the moment so we'd have to look at that but David could still certainly be a great asset to anybody, showing people how to train, how to look after yourself.

“His professionalism is second to none.”

QPR's Malaysian owner Fernandes backed Hughes strongly in last summer's transfer window, with Julio Cesar, Jose Bosingwa, Park Ji-sung and Esteban Granero heading a raft of high-profile new arrivals.

As a result, Redknapp says he does not expect to be able to sign many new players in January and may look to take players on loan instead.

“They brought a lot of players in in the summer so I don't see an awful lot more coming in in the window,” he said.

“You can't just keep loading up the squad with more players. If things don't go right, you're going to end up being in big trouble financially.

“We are really maybe looking at one or two loans in the window. There's a decent enough squad here but for whatever reason, something's wrong.

“The manager's the one who's suffered, but to have four points from 13 games is pretty horrendous and the players really have got to take responsibility.”

Redknapp has previously succeeded in keeping Spurs and Portsmouth in the top flight after difficult starts to the season, but feels QPR's situation is more perilous than the one he inherited in 2008 at Tottenham, who lay bottom of the table with two points from eight games.

“We're deeper in,” he said. “We're 13 games gone rather than eight and, let's be honest, Tottenham should not have ended up in that position at that stage because they had a fantastic squad.

“We've got to get cracking quickly. The target is fourth from bottom. We've just got to get out of trouble. Four points from 13

makes it very difficult but we've got to do it.”

Redknapp, who has also been relegated from the Premier League with Southampton, will take charge of his first game when QPR visit Sunderland on Tuesday. – Sapa-AFP

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