LONDON (REUTERS) - Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand joined Bursaspor on loan on Tuesday as the Turkish football championship continued to swell its ranks with players from Europe's more prestigious leagues.

QPR, the Premier League's bottom side, said in a statement that the 27-year-old centre-back had joined Bursaspor, who are seventh in the Turkish league, until the end of the season.

Ferdinand, who made 49 appearances for the west London club after joining from Sunderland in 2011, is the latest player to move to a championship that was previously shunned by big names.

Wesley Sneijder signed for Galatasaray from 2010 Champions League winners Inter Milan earlier this month and has been joined at the league leaders by former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, who ended his brief spell at Shanghai Shenhua on Monday.

Former Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt signed for Fenerbahce in the last transfer window along with Portugal midfielder Raul Meireles, who joined from Chelsea.

Senegal forward Moussa Sow also left 2011 French champions Lille for Fenerbahce last year.

Ferdinand is not the only Englishman at Bursaspor after former England goalkeeper Scott Carson joined the club in 2011.

The defender's departure increases the likelihood that South Korean defender Yun Suk Young will join compatriot Park Ji Sung at QPR after his Korean side Chunnam Dragons said a deal had been agreed.