Owen Hargreaves trains with QPR to recover from injury

Former England international Owen Hargreaves, 31, is training with QPR, the Premier League club has confirmed.

Injury-hit Hargreaves signed a one-year deal with Manchester City last August but played only 13 minutes in the Premier League and was released in May.

"Owen is training with the group," said QPR boss Mark Hughes on the club's official website. "There is no obligation for either party.

"He is keen to retain his fitness and we are more than happy to help him."

Canadian-born Hargreaves joined Bayern Munich as a 16-year-old and spent seven years with their first team.

He made his England debut in a friendly against the Netherlands in 2001 and, having impressed at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, he joined Manchester United for a reported £17m in July 2007.

However, knee problems twice required surgery, restricting him to just 39 appearances during his time at United, and in May 2011 the club decided not to renew his contract.

The defensive midfielder used video website YouTube to demonstrate his fitness and, after talks with West Brom, he chose to join Roberto Mancini's star-studded City squad.

He made a goalscoring City debut in a Carling Cup encounter against Birmingham in September, but injuries continued to trouble him and he played only three more times.

Although he took part in City's Premier League victory parade, his final appearance for the team was as a late substitute in an FA Cup defeat - against United - at the Etihad Stadium in January.