Marseille rule out Barton swap

Marseille chairman Vincent Labrune has ruled out a swap deal with QPR between Joey Barton and Stephane Mbia.

Marseille not interested in swapping Mbia for Barton

Marseille chairman Vincent Labrune has ruled out a swap deal with QPR between Joey Barton and Stephane Mbia. The French outfit want to sell the versatile Cameroonian defender and initial talks with QPR regarded a potential €6 million (£4.71m) transfer. But reports claim the London side proposed a swap deal with out of favour Barton, being keen to pay half of his wages. However Marseille supremo Labrune has ruled out such a move. He told L'Equipe: "We are not attracted in a paying loan for Stephane, with an option to buy. So today there is no more talk. "We are not refusing a departure, but under such conditions we have to look elsewhere." Barton is banned for the first 12 games of the season and has not been given a squad number by boss Mark Hughes.