Confirmed – Chelsea Completed £10.5m Deal After Call From Mourhino
Queens Park Rangers (QPR) chairman, Tony Fernandes recently took to tweeter, the popular social media platform, to reveal that former striker indeed was on the verge of signing a contract extension before Chelsea called in to make a bid on the 31st of August, this year. The French international, Remy had been linked with a move away from Loftus Road, home of QPR all summer long but was resigned to extend his contract for the Harry Redknapp led side before Chelsea hijacked the deal with a £10.5m offer which was accepted by the newly promoted side. In his tweet, Fernandes said: ‘‘When we lost Remy 48 hours before deadline day it was a huge blow. But we fight on. Stop sending me ridiculous tweets. I love the Remy comments. Remy was staying, he was in my house for dinner to sign the extension. Then Chelsea called.’’
Remy, who featured for France at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, was inches away from signing for Liverpool this summer but he failed his medicals at the Merseyside and made him available again in the market. Then, Mourinho was said to have made enquiries over the availability of the clinical France international, when initially, returnee Didier Drogba had some injury concerns. Didier Drogba’s recovery was said to have prompted Jose Mourinho’s abandonment of Loic Remy’s pursuit. Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspurs were then thought to be in for the player with Arsenal said to be in the lead, a result of what many would refer to as the ‘‘French connection’’. However, Harry Redknapp, the Queens Park Rangers’ manager, has said after the seeming lack of interest from Chelsea, that the player is poised for another Premier League stint with Queens Park Rangers as he seems not able to find a club but he is a Chelsea player now and that has left QPR biting the dust.
To many QPR fans, Remy’s sprints, passes, work rate and goal scoring abilities would be greatly missed and no new striking enforcements were made after Remy’s departure to Chelsea. Though Harry Redknapp made some defensive bolstering in the acquisition of Rio Ferdinand and Steven Caulker, the attacking department of the London side is nothing to write home about as they are struggling at the foot of the Premier League table with just 4 points from their opening 7 games. Since Remy’s departure, scoring goals has been an issue of serious concern at the club and that effect may just be staring them in the face until another prolific attacker is signed probably in January. Since Remy joined QPR from Marseille, he had since put in spectacular displays at both QPR and Newcastle United, where he played last season on loan from his employers as they had to reduce the wage bills during their stint in the Championship (the 2nd tier of English football).
As the Harry Redknapp team are now back in the English Premier League, it wouldn’t be surprising if they go back relegated to the Championship if the effect of Loic Remy’s departure isn’t alleviated with signings that can win them matches to enhance their Premier League table status before the end of the season.