Robert Green admits QPR's signing of Julio Cesar shocked him.

Former West Ham United goalkeeper Green had only been with the Rs for a few weeks when Julio Cesar was snapped up from Inter Milan.

"I came to QPR looking for a new challenge after six years at West Ham, a wonderful time capped off by promotion at Wembley," Green told the Mail on Sunday. "Kevin Hitchcock, the goalkeeping coach at QPR, is an old mate and I came to work for him on the understanding that I was first choice. I'd played for England in May, I was in the European Championship squad and, at 32, I'm in the prime of my life.

"If he'd said to me we're also going to sign someone who's won Serie A five times and the Champions League and is one of the biggest names in South American football, I would have thought twice before signing."