‘Keeper happy to stay in west London.
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QPR goalkeeper Julio Cesar has said that he is pleased things have “gone back to normal” after he insisted that he did not look to leave the club this summer, Sky Sports reports.
The Brazilian international was largely thought to be heading for the Loftus Road exit door following their relegation to the Championship and reported heavy interest from the likes of Arsenal, Benfica and Fiorentina.
He has been left out of the side since the season began, with boss Harry Redknapp preferring to go with former England international Rob Green instead, further fuelling speculation that the 34-year-old’s future lies away from the club.
One of Cesar’s major reasons for wanting to leave was that he believed playing Championship football would damage his chances of still being Brazil’s first choice goalkeeper at the World Cup in his home country next year. However, he now appears to have had a dramatic change of heart and feels that as long as he is playing regularly then being in the second tier will not damage his chances at all.
“I didn’t think in any moment about leaving QPR,” Cesar, who made 26 appearances last season, told Globo Esporte.
“Of course, if anything came up, as it happened, it was something to sit down and talk about with the club’s chairman.
“But, in my head, things have gone back to normal.
“I don’t think I’ll have to do anything different due to the fact I am in the Championship. It’s a strong competition in England with competitive teams.
“We play 46 games, eight more games than in the Premier League.”