Get all the jungle gossip with our regular email newsletter Yes please! Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Harry Redknapp has been lined up to return to management at Queens Park Rangers - but not until after their weekend trip to Manchester United.

Former Spurs boss Redknapp and his advisers have been sounded out by QPR to take charge once this weekend's game is out of the way.

It leaves Mark Hughes effectively a dead man walking into Old Trafford, where Rangers fear they are on a hiding to nothing.

QPR have finally decided to act after a desperate start to the Premier League campaign, which leaves a squad totally overhauled by the signing of 12 new players in the summer rock bottom and without a single league win.

Their hand was forced when the Ukraine FA made overtures to Redknapp this week, and even held negotiations with his agent, Paul Stretford, in Kiev.

Although Redknapp insisted he was "serious" about taking charge of Ukraine, the 65-year-old is desperate for a return to Premier League management after being axed by Tottenham in the summer.

It is believed that QPR are confident Redknapp will take charge as early as Sunday.

Rangers present the perfect way back for Redknapp as he can commute easily to west London each day from his home on the South Coast and will be allowed to try to revamp the squad in the January transfer window.

Hughes has spent this week in limbo as he has not been given a clear indication about his future, apart from believing he will be left in charge for the trip to Old Trafford.

Chairman Tony Fernandes has been fulsome in his support of Hughes and has even held off a split in the hierarchy as some factions felt they needed a change sooner.

But even Fernandes now realises that QPR will go down unless their fortunes improve quickly and dramatically.

There is even more money at stake for Premier League clubs next season because of a raft of new TV deals.

It means clubs simply cannot afford to go down in May.

QPR also have players on big contracts that would leave them in desperate trouble in the event of a drop back to the Championship - most do not have relegation clauses in their deals that would automatically slash their salaries in the Championship.