QPR close in on Zamora deal

QPR moved to bolster their forward line in the final few hours of the transfer window after signing Djibril Cisse and entering into negotiations with Fulham’s Bobby Zamora.

With only Barclays Premier League bottom side Wigan having scored fewer (19) in the first 22 matches, manager Mark Hughes identified goals as an area for improvement.

The 30-year-old Cisse, formerly of Liverpool and Sunderland, returned to England after signing a two-and-a-half-year contract to leave Lazio in a deal Press Association Sport understands is worth about £4.1million.

Zamora, who Hughes managed during his short spell at Craven Cottage, was the next target and had a medical ahead of personal terms being discussed after Fulham agreed to sell the 31-year-old for a fee between £4million and £5million.

The Cottagers are looking to replace Zamora with Stuttgart’s Pavel Pogrebnyak and are awaiting a work permit for the Russia international.

Cisse is relishing the prospect of playing in the Premier League again.

“I have unfinished business here in England. The English league is the best in the world. It is the league that suits me the most,” he told qpr.co.uk.

“For the type of player I am I need space, I like fast football in a good atmosphere and all these things are in England.

“I am really happy to be back and have the opportunity to help QPR and to be able to give back the confidence they have in me.

“We can do great things with the players we have in the squad.”

Another former Liverpool player also returned to England as Sotirios Kyrgiakos became Sunderland’s second signing of the day.

The 32-year-old centre-half joined on loan from Wolfsburg to follow Manchester City left-back Wayne Bridge to the Stadium of Light after the England international agreed a temporary spell in the north-east.

“I’m hoping that with Wayne’s experience and ability he can be a big help to the team until the end of the season,” said manager Martin O’Neill.

“Sotirios offers a real physical presence, coupled with a wealth of experience, which will be an undoubted benefit to us in the next few months.”

Chelsea were the first Premier League club to make a signing today when Genk’s 20-year-old Belgian midfielder Kevin de Bruyne finalised his five-and-a-half-year contract – before returning to his former club on loan until the end of the season.

“Three years ago I was playing with the young guys in Genk, but now I am making a transfer to Chelsea. It’s almost impossible – a real dream come true,” the player told chelseafc.com.

Blackburn brought in former Halmstad winger Marcus Olsson, the twin brother of Rovers’ Swedish wide man Martin, and QPR defender Bradley Orr.

Arsenal’s new signing, 19-year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder Thomas Eisfeld, will be a valuable addition to the squad, according to manager Arsene Wenger.

“Thomas is a player we have liked for some time. We’ve watched him closely this season, where he has excelled for Dortmund’s youth team,” the Frenchman told arsenal.com.

“He is young but has proven to us that he can play, that he has the attitude and technical ability to be a valuable addition to our squad.”

Wenger allowed Japanese midfielder Ryo Miyaichi, 19, to go on loan to Bolton while West Brom signed defender Liam Ridgewell from Birmingham.

Tottenham defender Vedran Corluka joined Bayer Leverkusen on loan but the London club are trying to secure a deal for Everton striker Louis Saha, whose move will hinge on the Toffees wrapping up a deal for Rangers’ Croatian forward Nikica Jelavic.

Other clubs hoping to tie up deals include Manchester City, reportedly closing in on a deal to sign Roma’s 32-year-old Chilean midfielder David Pizarro on loan but likely to lose former Switzerland Under-17 captain Frederic Veseli to neighbours United, who themselves allowed teenage midfielder Ravel Morrison to have a medical at npower Championship leaders West Ham.

Newcastle are pursuing Watford defender Adrian Mariappa, who reportedly turned down the chance to talk to Wigan.