Transfer talk: Barton tweets his QPR medical

Joey Barton announces on Twitter his QPR medical, and Liverpool's Alberto Aquilani looks to be heading back to Italy.

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Queens Park Rangers

Joey Barton was in talks with QPR last night about a transfer and last night used his Twitter page to announce he was having a medical at the London club. The 28 year old, in the final year of his contract at Newcastle, was made available on a free transfer after criticising the club, on Twitter, over the summer. Warnock, boosted by funds from the recent takeover by Tony Fernandes, wants to make several signings before the transfer deadline. The squad shortages were shown by Warnock having to field first team regulars in the Carling Cup match on Tuesday, resulting in an injury to Bradley Orr. "That's why we need at least six new players in the first-team squad, to supplement what we've got to give us half a chance," Warnock said.

Liverpool

AC Milan are on the verge of signing Alberto Aquilani on a one-year loan deal from Liverpool, according to reports in Italy. Aquilani's agent Franco Zavaglia was in Liverpool yesterday holding talks with the club's executives in a bid to wrap up the loan move. When asked about Aquilani, Adriano Galliani, the AC Milan vice-president, told Gazzetta dello Sport: "We have taken a great quality player, right for Milan. Now our market is more than closed." Daniel Pacheco, the 20-year-old forward, has returned to Spain and Atletico Madrid on a season-long loan deal.

Chelsea

Hamburg confirmed yesterday the signing of Slobodan Rajkovic for an undisclosed fee from Chelsea. The 22-year-old Serbian defender passed a medical on Tuesday and put pen to paper on a four-year contract with the German club yesterday. Michael Oenning, the Hamburg coach, said he could play against Cologne on Saturday. "I don't want to rule anything out," he told his club's website. "I have to get to know him a bit first. He is tall and an uncomfortable opponent. He has a quality that we don't really have in our squad and that we need while he is left-footed, which was particularly important to me."

Stoke City

Tony Pulis, the manager, claims there is "no question" his squad needs further strengthening before next week's transfer deadline. But he is still prepared to turn potential deals down to protect the club's wage structure. The veteran defenders Jonathan Woodgate and Matthew Upson - both of whom were previously free agents - remain the only new arrivals at the Britannia Stadium this summer. "I think everybody knows we have to bring players in - I don't think there is any question from the top of the football club right down," Pulis said. "Even the youngest supporters will be looking and saying, 'Why haven't we brought players in?' But it is about making sure we do it the way we do it as a football club - that is very important for us."

Blackburn Rovers

Steve Kean is working at "full blast" in an effort to further strengthen his squad before the transfer window closes. Kean signed the Montenegro winger Simon Vukcevic on Monday for £2 million (Dh12.1m), and George John is also close to joining, from Major League Soccer side FC Dallas, for a fee of £1.2m. Yesterday he flew to Greece to collect a passport, due to his American-Greek dual nationality. Kean flew out of the UK last night to speak to the player after being given permission by his club to do so. "We're at it full blast to get bodies in, and to get them in quickly," Kean said.