Queens Park Rangers are today under increasing pressure to offload Joey Barton after it emerged Adel Taarabt has told the club he will not play in the same team as the controversial midfielder.

Rangers are expected to conclude an internal investigation into Barton’s behaviour within the next seven days after the 29-year-old was handed a 12-game suspension and £75,000 fine following his red card at Manchester City on the final day of last season.

Barton was sent off for elbowing Carlos Tevez, before kicking Sergio Aguero and attempting to headbutt Vincent Kompany as he had to be dragged from the field, to the fury of manager Mark Hughes.

Standard Sport revealed last week that the club have been told they are unlikely to find sufficient legal grounds to terminate Barton’s contract and so they will have to pay his contract in full, worth nearly £11million, if they wish to sack him.

The Rangers hierarchy are fully aware Barton has become a disruptive presence in the squad. Rumours of a dressing room rift persisted throughout last season and it is understood that Barton and Taarabt have not been on speaking terms for several months following two separate training ground incidents.

Barton is believed to have launched into rash tackles on the Moroccan international after becoming irritated by his relaxed attitude towards training. It is understood that Taarabt’s lawyers contacted the club to warn them they would sue Barton if he injured their client in training.

Taarabt is now thought to have indicated his unwillingness to play with Barton in the future and it is possible he could leave the club regardless of the decision Rangers take with his team-mate.

The 23-year-old is hugely talented but failed to make a consistent impact in the Premier League and is no stranger to controversy himself, having been pictured at a bus stop after storming out of the ground following his half-time substitution in October’s 6-0 defeat against Fulham.

Barton hinted at tension with Taarabt following that match by claiming afterwards: “I came here and was told he was a genius but I’m yet to see it. I don’t know whether that is because he doesn’t work hard enough or that he tends to sulk.”

Taarabt has attracted interest from a number of clubs and has just one year remaining on his contract at Loftus Road. He has made it clear he will depart if Barton does not move on.

The problem for Rangers is that they are struggling to find a buyer for a player who is now ineligible until November. West Ham are thought to have registered an interest but Barton would have to take a considerable pay cut from his £70,000-a-week deal, which has three years left to run.

Rangers could force Barton to train with the reserves and then sell him in January and are continuing to assess their options. Hughes will also consult other members of the squad to assess how they feel about Barton continuing his career at the club.