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Warnock holds talks with Tony Fernandes

Pa
Monday 01 August 2011 11:08 EDT
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Neil Warnock has revealed he held "positive" talks with prospective QPR owner Tony Fernandes at the weekend.

Fernandes, the boss of Formula One's Team Lotus, met Rangers manager Warnock in Bergamo, Italy, on Saturday after watching the Barclays Premier League new boys win the pre-season Bortolotti Trofeo tournament.

QPR last week announced they were in talks with potential new owners, with the interested party having since been revealed to be Fernandes.

He has reportedly been in discussions with co-owner Bernie Ecclestone and the F1 supremo's business partner Flavio Briatore, joining the latter on a whistlestop visit to Italy after the qualifying session at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday.

Warnock told the Daily Mail: "Myself, Flavio and Tony all had a positive chat after the match on Saturday.

"We've already spoken about possible targets and he is a very positive chap."

Malaysian businessman Fernandes last year lost out to David Sullivan and David Gold in trying to buy West Ham, the team he supports.

Warnock will be hoping any takeover will result in extra funds for him to spend on players, with Rangers restricted to free transfers so far this summer.

They have agreed a reported £1.25million fee for Blackpool striker DJ Campbell, who they hope to complete the signing of this week.

In March, Ecclestone suggested he might be interested in selling his 69% stake in QPR for £100million - and the club entered into talks with an unnamed group, with due diligence taking place.

Those discussions failed to reach an agreement, but Rangers last week released a statement revealing the club had started "preliminary discussions with a different party".

Almost a third of QPR's stock is owned by the family of metals billionaire Lakshmi Mittal.

In May, vice-chairman Amit Bhatia, Mittal's son-in-law, resigned from the board after a disagreement over ticket-price increases and changes to club management.

Force India Formula One team owner Vijay Mallya and chairman of United Breweries Group, which produces the Kingfisher beer brand, were previously linked with the Loftus Road club.

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