JORDI Lopez - thrilled to have scored one of the best goals of his career - wants to follow the example of other Spanish players in England by making an impact at Rangers.
Lopez has settled in superbly at Loftus Road and quickly established himself as the team's setpiece wizard.
So far he has been doing his best to set up teammates with corners and free-kicks but there is nothing like getting on the scoresheet yourself to announce your worth and Lopez did just that at the weekend.
His beautifully arced effort from 25 yards curled over the wall and into the top corner past Bristol City keeper Adriano Basso to put Rangers on their way to a 2-1 win on Saturday.
And it has cemented the 28-yearold midfielder's resolve to cut it in our league after a false start following trials with Portsmouth and Blackburn which came to nothing and a proposed January switch to Birmingham City which did not materialise.
"It was one of the best goals I've scored from a free-kick and it helped us get the three points we needed," a beaming Lopez told the Gazette. "I'm very happy that I've settled into English football quite quickly. I'm enjoying it. I didn't have any alternative but to adapt to the game here and it's much faster and more physical than I was used to in Spain, but I like this style of football and I'm glad I've had the opportunity to come and play.
"I always wanted to come to England to play football and I'm really enjoying it."
Lopez, who made two appearances for Real Madrid before spells at Sevilla and Real Mallorca, continued: "I would like to stay on with Rangers next season.
"There haven't been any talks about it yet, but I've only been here one month, so it's perhaps too early to say.
"I'm not really thinking about that right now. I just want to keep working hard and see what what happens.
"In deciding to come to this country, it helped to see other Spanish players being successful here. And I'm in touch with a few of them. I know Pepe Reina, Mikel Arteta and Alvaro Arbeloa at Liverpool.
"We played together when we were kids and it's encouraging that they have done so well. It is an example I want to follow." [25a0]The Rs have rejected an approach from Nottingham Forest for Dexter Blackstock - but his days at Loftus Road look numbered. Forest have expressed an interest in taking Blackstock on an initial loan deal with a view to a permanent transfer at the end of the season, but Rangers are not keen having been let down with a similar arrangement over Lee Camp.
Terms for a new long-term contract for Blackstock were agreed in January, but the deal was called off without him putting pen to paper and his future has since been in doubt.
