QPR chairman Tony Fernandes revealed on Tuesday that he is close to hiring his “dream manager” following Harry Redknapp’s departure.

Redknapp, 67, quit as Loftus Road boss last week with QPR languishing in the Premier League relegation zone after a troubled campaign.

Chris Ramsey took charge of Saturday’s 1-0 defeat against Southampton on a caretaker basis, but former Tottenham chief Tim Sherwood had been widely expected to be appointed as permanent manager shortly.

However, Malaysian tycoon Fernandes seemed to distance the club from Sherwood as he suggested a different manager was his target.

“Think I have got my dream manager. Not what anyone thinks. Take a while. Still a bit to go but I’m very happy. Press all wrong,” he wrote on Twitter.

Redknapp had guided QPR back into the top flight through the Championship play-offs last season having been unable to keep them in the Premier League after taking over in 2012.

But, having lost all 11 of their Premier League away games, he left his position just a day after the transfer window closed having missed out on making any last-minute recruits to help in the battle against relegation.

It had been anticipated that Sherwood was the only serious contender for the role, having previously worked with Ramsey and QPR director of football Les Ferdinand at White Hart Lane.

But, with Ramsey in charge of again at Sunderland on Tuesday, Fernandes seems set to surprise everyone with his upcoming appointment.