Adel Taarabt has ‘part to play’ in QPR survival bid, says Harry Redknapp

Harry Redknapp believes midfielder Adel Taarabt has a part to play in Queens Park Rangers’ bid for Premier League survival – and admits he did not want to let the Morocco international leave Tottenham while he was in charge at White Hart Lane.

The 23-year-old joined the Hoops after being sold by Spurs to the west London outfit in August 2010.

However, the new R’s boss revealed he wanted to keep Taarabt and Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy made the decision to sell the midfielder.

Redknapp insists there is no ill feeling between the pair as a result of the transfer and the QPR manager expects Taarabt to play an important role in the coming months.

“He was alright with me, Adel. I think he has improved. His attitude is good and he has got bags of ability,” said Redknapp.

“I wouldn’t have let him go, in all honesty – I said that at the time – I would have kept him at Tottenham.

“It was just he couldn’t get into the side and the chairman decided if he wasn’t going to play, we might as well sell him and get a big sell-on if he made a success at QPR.

“That’s why I let him go. I would have kept him around because I always felt he was a player you could bring off the bench and he could change a game for you.

“But Adel is OK. He’s got a part to play for us, for sure.”