OFFICIAL: Leon Balogun seals move to QPR

After few months of waiting in the wings, Super Eagles defender, Leon Balogun has relaunch his club career with a one-year deal with Championship side Queens Park Rangers.

 Joe Aribo, Calvin Bassey and Balogun were all at Rangers last season but as it stands now, the trio have opened new chapters in the their club with the earlier mentioned duo already with Southampton and Ajax Amsterdam respectively.

Balogun officially completed the switch to Loftus Road on Friday after failing to tie a new deal with Rangers at the expiration of his contract with the Glasgow-based club at the end of last season.

 

The 34-year  worked with QPR head coach Mick Beale at Ibrox and he is excited to be teaming up with him once again.

 

“It is a big relief to know I can get back to action and I am looking forward to it,”  Balogun said in his first interview with his new club's official website. “We have been speaking for some weeks so I am happy we got it done.

 

“The manager is one of the main factors for me. When he left Rangers I messaged him and said in terms of a football brain he is one of the best I have worked with.”

 

While together at Rangers, Balogun and his QPR coach won the Scottish Premiership for the first time in 10 years, ending their league campaign undefeated with a club record 102 points.

 

“He is obsessed with football and what I always admire about him is the way he treated the players, and the way he got ideas into your mind,” Balogun added.

 

“I am more than delighted to work with him again and to be part of this project here, and hopefully leave a great mark.”

 

Balogun hasn’t played since leaving Rangers at the end of last season but he is confident he can get up to speed quickly as he looks to get his career in W12 up and running.

 

“I have managed to keep myself fit,” he said. “I haven’t been able to have team training so that is what I will try to catch up with as quickly as possible.

 

“The foundation of my fitness is there so it really shouldn’t take me long.”

Before this latest move to QPR, Balogun has previously featured for two other English teams, Brighton and Wigan.