QPR on brink of stunning £10m deal to bring Spurs defender Dawson to Loftus Road



Michael Dawson will join Queens Park Rangers if he passes a medical in a deal that could rise to £10million.

Dawson, Tottenham captain under Harry Redknapp, will cost an initial £8m plus bonuses for appearances and success.

Sportsmail revealed on Tuesday how Loftus Road boss Mark Hughes was hoping to capitalise on the uncertainty over the central defender’s future at White Hart Lane by launching a surprise move.

Wanted man: Michael Dawson is being targeted by QPR

He sees Dawson, 28, as a leader and a potential skipper.

The club agreed a deal after an initial bid of £7m was turned down. It is believed Nottingham Forest have a 10 per cent sell-on clause in Dawson’s contract and so will enjoy a windfall of around £800,000.

Dawson was left out of Tottenham’s squad for Saturday’s opening day loss at Newcastle, raising questions over his future under new Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas. The Portuguese is believed to want quicker players.

QPR could do with bolstering a defence who let in five goals at home against Swansea at the weekend..

Rangers, who have agreed a fee with Cardiff for defender Matt Connolly, expect midfielder Joey Barton to finalise his loan to Marseille this week.

Out for more: QPR boss Mark Hughes

Spurs’ central defensive options were further depleted on Tuesday when Sebastien Bassong signed for Norwich City on a three-year-deal. The Cameroon defender had been deemed surplus to requirements by Villas-Boas.

Norwich manager Chris Hughton said: ‘Sebastien is a player I have known well since my time at Newcastle and I’m delighted to have brought in someone with the Premier League experience he has.’



