Taarabt leaves Rangers to join Benfica

Adel Taarabt has agreed a move to Benfica after being released by QPR.

Taarabt, 26, had a year remaining on his deal at Loftus Road and Rangers confirmed on Friday that the contract had been terminated by mutual consent.

He was the star of QPR’s 2010-11 promotion-winning campaign and played a key role in keeping the club in the top flight during the second half of the following season.

But Taarabt, signed from Tottenham in 2010, has been desperate for a move for some time and his attitude has been called in to question on numerous occasions.

Accused of being overweight and refusing to train properly by former Rangers manager Harry Redknapp, Taarabt spent most of the season before last out on loan, first at Fulham and then AC Milan.

Taarabt was unable to secure a permanent move to Italy and spent last season as a fringe player at Rangers, making only seven league appearances.

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