Onuoha reunited with Hughes at Loftus Road
QPR manager Mark Hughes stepped up his January recruitment drive yesterday with the signing of versatile Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha.
The former England Under-21 international’s arrival comes less than 24 hours after the addition of left-back Taye Taiwo, who joined on loan from AC Milan until the end of the season.
Onuoha, 25, signed for a fee of £2.5m and penned a four-and-a-half year contract that will see him reunited with Hughes, who coached him during the Welshman’s time at the Etihad Stadium.
“Nedum is a player I know very well,” said Hughes of player who made just three appearances for the Premier League leaders this season. “He did very well for me at Manchester City and played a number of games, probably more than under any other manager.”
Onuoha, who spent last season on loan at Sunderland and is eligible for tomorrow’s FA Cup fourth round tie against Chelsea at Loftus Road, added: “This was the right time for me to join a club like QPR. The manager played a massive factor in my decision to come here. The ambition of the owners was also appealing.”
Hughes has identified strengthening a defence which has failed to keep a clean sheet in any of its last 13 Premier League matches as a priority.
The Premier League strugglers are also targeting Chelsea’s Brazil centre-half Alex and Blackburn skipper Christopher Samba, who handed in a transfer request a fortnight ago.