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Hughes to 'wait and see' on QPR Samba deal

Mark Hughes witnessed his QPR side lose 1-0 to Newcastle on Sunday © Getty Images

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New QPR manager Mark Hughes took encouragement from his side's display in their 1-0 defeat to Newcastle on Sunday, and he revealed the club would "wait and see" over the potential signing of Chris Samba.

Blackburn defender Samba said earlier in the week that he felt the time had come to leave Rovers, a club who "are not evolving" in his eyes. He was then absent for the weekend 3-1 win over Fulham, although Steve Kean denied reports that the player had refused to play.

QPR are hoping to take advantage of the situation and have lodged a bid for Samba, whom they would like to partner with Chelsea's Brazilian defender Alex. Hughes, though, admits he does not know if either transfer will happen.

"It's common knowledge we've put in a bid for Chris Samba," Hughes said. "We have a number of players we would like to bring to the club. We'll have to wait and see.

"If there's quality available and attainable then we'll pursue that but they have to be the right players and they have to be the players who can come in and make a major impact because otherwise there's no point bringing them."

Chairman Tony Fernandes also shed little light on the subject, answering "no comment" to questions from Sky Sports News, although he did admit Samba was on his radar.

A fine goal from Leon Best just before half-time settled the game in Newcastle's favour at St James' Park as the Magpies moved into sixth place in the Premier League. For Hughes it marked a losing start to his reign, having replaced Neil Warnock this week, but the former Fulham and Manchester City boss took some positives from his side's performance.

"I was pleased with their application, they gave me everything they had, obviously we've been done with a little bit of individual skill in our own box," Hughes summarised.

"In terms of our play I think we created a number of reasonable chances and on another day those will go in for us. It would have been ideal obviously if we could have got something out of the game because overall I felt we deserved something.

"It's a hard place to come, we understand that, it was never going to be easy so that's why I'm encouraged by what I saw today. We haven't had that much opportunity to work on our attacking play, it was more this week about making sure our shape was good and everybody knew what was expected of them and I think you could see that in our play.

"We were nice and solid, and everyone was working in relation to one another and that augurs well for the future and I think the longer we have the opportunity to work with the guys and given their application today, they'll only improve."

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew praised his side for their focus in protecting their one-goal lead. "We were disciplined with the goal that we had and tried to look for another," Pardew said. "And then in the last period of the game we were just seeing it out really, it was a nice disciplined performance from us."

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