AFC Champions League 2013 contenders Al Gharafa, from Qatar, have signed Djibril Cisse until the end of the season on a loan basis from Premier League team QPR.

The 31-year-old former French national striker, who scored 41 goals for Les Bleus, has played for Liverpool, Lazio and Panathinaikos.

This was the second high-profile signing by Al Gharafa after they signed Paris Saint Germain’s Brazilian striker Nene a week ago.

Al Gharafa’s AFC Champions League campaign begins in Group C with a trip to Saudi Arabia, facing ACL runners-up Al Ahli.

The other two teams in their group are Iran League Champions Sepahan and the winner of a playoff between Uzbekistan’s Lokomotiv and Al Nasr of the UAE.

To contact the reporter on this story: Chris Derbuc at [email protected]