QPR winger Armand Traore turned down an offer to join Crystal Palace to stay and fight for his place in the team at Loftus Road.
The club accepted an offer from Palace for the 24-year-old, who joined the Rs from Arsenal in 2011, but the Senegal international was determined to remain in west London.
Traore, who signed a new two-year deal with the club in July, said: “I think there was a misunderstanding – I spoke with Phil [Beard]. I didn’t sign a contract to move on.
“I have been here for four years now and I’ve said before that I could have left here to join a Champions League club in Benfica, but I have always stayed.
“I grafted in the Championship and I’m not going to leave now after I signed a new contract.
“I love England, I think after my career is over I will stay here. I was 15 when I came to London – I am still north but literally in two weeks I am moving to west London. I think it is time.”
With Redknapp ditching the 3-5-2 formation, Traore was brought on as a second-half substitute on the left side of midfield.
He said: “I think I am more comfortable on the left wing – if I have a few games coming on like this then it can really give me good confidence. You saw it last year, I can make some good runs behind defenders from inside – I think I can do some good stuff.”
Traore admits the news that Alejandro Faurlin has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering his third cruciate knee ligament injury in as many seasons during the League Cup defeat at Burton hit him hard.
He said: “I’m gutted for him. The guy worked so hard and it’s come back to him.
“I personally think, with the African culture I’ve got, when things like this happen in my country where I grew up it’s like somebody must have done something dodgy to you like black magic or something.
“When I heard the news I felt sick to the stomach.”
The club accepted an offer from Palace for the 24-year-old, who joined the Rs from Arsenal in 2011, but the Senegal international was determined to remain in west London.
Traore, who signed a new two-year deal with the club in July, said: “I think there was a misunderstanding – I spoke with Phil [Beard]. I didn’t sign a contract to move on.
“I have been here for four years now and I’ve said before that I could have left here to join a Champions League club in Benfica, but I have always stayed.
“I grafted in the Championship and I’m not going to leave now after I signed a new contract.
“I love England, I think after my career is over I will stay here. I was 15 when I came to London – I am still north but literally in two weeks I am moving to west London. I think it is time.”
With Redknapp ditching the 3-5-2 formation, Traore was brought on as a second-half substitute on the left side of midfield.
He said: “I think I am more comfortable on the left wing – if I have a few games coming on like this then it can really give me good confidence. You saw it last year, I can make some good runs behind defenders from inside – I think I can do some good stuff.”
Traore admits the news that Alejandro Faurlin has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering his third cruciate knee ligament injury in as many seasons during the League Cup defeat at Burton hit him hard.
He said: “I’m gutted for him. The guy worked so hard and it’s come back to him.
“I personally think, with the African culture I’ve got, when things like this happen in my country where I grew up it’s like somebody must have done something dodgy to you like black magic or something.
“When I heard the news I felt sick to the stomach.”
Comment