29-8-11: QPR have completed the signing of Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton on a four-year contract. The 28-year-old was in the final year of his contract at St James' Park and made available on a free transfer recently after criticising Newcastle's recruitment policy via his Twitter account. Barton passed a medical at QPR's training ground in Harlington on Thursday but left without penning a deal, tweeting that he needed "some thinking time and space" before making a decision. Having mulled over the move overnight, Barton has now penned a deal with the west London club. Barton's QPR debut could come against his former club on September 12. "It's been quite a whirlwind, so to get things finally sorted and draw a line under it all is a great relief," he told the club's official website, www.qpr.co.uk. "The ambition of the club really impressed me. "There's obviously a great set of lads here already and that's why they had such a great season in the Championship. "The gaffer is talking about adding two or three more bodies and that, combined with the potential of the club and the new owners' ambitions, bodes really well for the future." Barton becomes the first signing at QPR since AirAsia boss Tony Fernandes completed his takeover of the club last week.