SUNDERLAND’S Liam Miller is expected to join Queens Park Rangers on loan after he was recommended to the Championship club by Republic of Ireland manager Geovanni Trapattoni.

With Black Cats manager Ricky Sbragia determined to off-load fringe players, Miller has been told he has no future at the Stadium of Light.

But the 27-year-old’s wage, reported to be about £16,000 a week, has limited interest in the former Manchester United midfielder, who joined Sunderland on a free transfer in August 2006.

Trapattoni is believed to have recommended the Cork man to QPR’s owners, Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, but Sunderland will have to continue paying a significant portion of Miller’s salary if a deal is to be agreed.

Sbragia confirmed that the London club have inquired about Miller’s availability.

“There’s been some interest in Liam from QPR, so something might happen there,”

said Sbragia.

“They’ve made an inquiry about him and we are just waiting to see the full extent of their interest, but it looks like it could be a loan. They have put a feeler out, certainly.”

With QPR and a rival Championship club competing for Darryl Murphy, the exodus from the Stadium of Light is set to continue. Sunderland are looking to sell Murphy, but no clubs have met their valuation for the forward, who has failed to score in 15 appearances this season.

Sbragia continues his search for a new defender, but has denied reports that he has made a move for Manchester City’s centre-back, Tal Ben Haim. However, he added: “One of the targets we were looking at we thought we were making progress on. He wasn’t in the first team and the price seemed reasonable – not overboard as it seems to be whenever Sunderland’s name is mentioned, so we thought it was looking good.

“But the club concerned put him in the first team a few days after we inquired, he had a good game, and suddenly he wasn’t available anymore,”

said Sbragia who has been boosted by George McCartney’s return to training after a three month absence.

Miller’s expected move to QPR will offer the midfielder a fresh start as his career has stalled on Wearside.

The Republic of Ireland international scored three goals in 60 appearances for the Black Cats, but has been a peripheral figure after being transfer-listed by Roy Keane following persistent poor time-keeping.

He has made only one start for Sunderland this season – in his side’s 2-1 defeat at this weekend’s opponents Aston Villa and, with his contract due to expire in June, he looks to have played his last game for the Wearsiders.

As Sbragia continues to trim his squad, reports from France indicate that Djibril Cisse’s weekly salary of more than £80,000 was the reason Marseille were willing to sanction the striker’s loan to Sunderland last August.

■ Sunderland face a home tie against Arsenal in the FA Youth fifth round after Conour Hourihane’s extra-time strike gave his side victory over Preston on Tuesday.