Arsenal transfers: QPR’s Júlio Cesar eyes Premier League stay

Júlio Cesar says he wants to stay in the Premier League if he quits Queens Park Rangers in the summer.

The Brazil international, who is currently on international duty, has three years remaining on his current Hoops contract but is expected to leave following QPR’s relegation to the Championship.

Manager Harry Redknapp has already admitted he doesn’t expect Cesar to play in the English second tier amid speculation Arsenal could move for the Champions League winner.

And Cesar, who is expected to feature for Brazil against England in a friendly on Sunday, revealed he would prefer to stay in London if the 33-year-old quits Loftus Road in the summer.

“There is some interest from other clubs but nothing is concrete. Harry Redknapp left the door open for me. I have three more years on my contract with QPR, Harry knows this, and he talked about me with the press,” Cesar told the Telegraph.

“He said: ‘Cesar can’t play in the Championship, he has to play in the Premier League or Serie A’. I was really happy with the words that he used about me with the press.”

He added: “I would like to stay in English football because I enjoy London a lot, it’s a great city to live in, I love the Premier League.

“But I would like to just think about the Confederations Cup . It’s a good moment to do a good job for the national team. I would like to be focused on that.”

Cesar won five Serie A titles, the Coppa Italia three times and the Champions League during a seven-year spell at Inter before joining QPR last summer.