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Adel Taarabt has left Queens Park Rangers and signed for Portuguese side Benfica after having his contract terminated by mutual consent.
The 26-year-old midfielder featured just eight times this season as the R’s were relegated from the Premier League.
The Morocco international joined from Tottenham in 2009, initially on loan, and scored 34 goals in 164 appearances.
Taarabt has signed a five-year deal with Benfica, who won the Portuguese Primeira Liga last season.
He had two spells away from Loftus Road in 2013-14, spending time on loan with Fulham and Italian Serie A side AC Milan.
Taarabt was criticised by then-Rangers manager Harry Redknapp in October last year for being “about three stone overweight” but he played five times after Redknapp was replaced as boss by Chris Ramsey in February.
The departure of Taarabt added to the 10 departures at the end of the season (6 out of contract, 4 end of loans) is just a further example of Queens Park Rangers clearing out the big earners at the club and trimming the budget accordingly as they get ready for life in the Football League.
