Redknapp: Cesar will leave but I hope Samba stays

QPR manager Harry Redknapp admitted that goalkeeper Julio Cesar will leave in the summer following the club’s relegation. The manager is however expecting January signing Christopher Samba to stay and fight for promotion next season.

Brazilian international and Champions League winner with Inter Milan, Cesar joined QPR in the summer last year and put in some decent performances for the club. He however missed the match against Arsenal last week due to a back injury and Redknapp believes he will look to move to continue playing at the highest level ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

“He’s had a little bit of back injury. But it is a difficult one because I don’t see him playing here next season, so I want to play Rob Green.

“I think Julio is a player for a top club, a top Italian team, a top Spanish team or a top Premier League team. He is good enough to play anywhere.

“Rob has come in and done well. Rob will probably be my goalkeeper next season. Julio is in the Brazil team. He is not a player for the Championship. He has got a World Cup coming up. He needs to be playing in the Premier League or a big league abroad.”

Redknapp expects former Blackburn Rovers defender Christopher Samba to stay. Samba joined Russian side Anzhi in February 2012 after it was clear that Blackburn will get relegated. QPR provided him a chance to return to England when the Hoops bought him for a club record fee of £12.5m. Redknapp added:

“I’d like to keep him, he’d be the best centre-half in the Championship. He had one bad day at Fulham and everyone got on his case. He’s a good player and we need him back playing. But I don’t know what will happen.”