QPR boss Neil Warnock not against Adel Taarabt move at right price

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QPR manager Neil Warnock would drive Adel Taarabt to France himself if Paris St Germain offered £20million for the maverick forward.

Taraabt, who has been linked with a move away from Loftus Road, is set to miss QPR's trip to Stoke tomorrow after spending the week away on international duty.

The 22-year-old was brought off at half-time in QPR's 3-1 defeat at Tottenham and was then left out of the starting line-up for the home defeat by Manchester City.

Warnock admitted Taarabt has not fitted in as well this season as QPR adapted to cope with the heightened demands of Barclays Premier League football.

Asked specifically whether QPR would sell if PSG hardened their reported interest in Taarabt, Warnock said: "I would drive him over if they offered us £20million.

"You are never going to change Adel. I don't think we have ever been hunky-dory in our relationship. It is just a different culture that some players have.

"You have to try and fit it into the team situation. We did that quite well last year. It has not worked as well this year because we are playing at a different level.

"We have had to adjust the system that we play so it has been very difficult to get Adel into our system at the moment."

QPR's focus in training all week has been on set-piece defending in a bid to combat Stoke's great area of strength.

Three-quarters of Stoke's goals this season have come from set-pieces and Warnock was full of praise for the job his old adversary Tony Pulis has done at the Britannia Stadium.

"They are fantastic at set-pieces and that is all we have looked at all week. You can't do anything about them, you have got to have a bit of luck - a the thickness of a post, a mis-hit shot, a great save," said Warnock.

"I have had my spats with Tony over the years but I really admire what he has done at the club, to stabilise a club like Stoke and become almost a regular Premier League team.

"They have done it in the right way. Every year they have stayed up they have made the squad better. They play a lot more football than people give them credit for.

"But at the end of the day their long throws and free-kicks provide the majority of their goals and we have to compete against that."

QPR have strengthened their squad well since winning promotion and Warnock is always looking for new recruits but he played down links with the West Ham defender James Tomkins and Fulham striker Andrew Johnson.

Warnock paid tribute to former chairman Gianni Paladini, who has left QPR by mutual consent after eight years at Loftus Road.

Paladini's departure had been prompted following Tony Fernandes' takeover in August.

The 65-year-old stepped down as chairman following the Malaysian airline entrepreneur's arrival and had since been acting in an advisory capacity.

"I have had such a good time with Gianni," Warnock said.

"He has probably been the shining light for me through quite a few grey nights with one or two previous ownerships, should we say, and there has been times where it would have been very difficult without Gianni.

"I would like to say a big thank you to him. We had a great time. Last year we had problems but we overcame them and I am sure he will have a part to play in football because you will not keep him out of that."

PA