Queens Park Rangers are thought to be considering sending Joey Barton out on loan to Blackburn Rovers.

The controversial midfielder is banned for the first 12 games of the season after he was found guilty on two counts of violent conduct for an altercation in the final game of the last campaign at Manchester City.

Rangers boss Mark Hughes now believes that the 29-year-old could run down his suspension in the Championship, according to the Daily Mail.

Barton was also stripped of the club captaincy and fined six weeks' wages for the incident at the Etihad Stadium.