Samba excited by Mandanda reunion

Marseille’s new signing Brice Samba is looking forward to linking up with former Le Havre team-mate Steve Mandanda.

The 18-year-old joined Elie Baup’s side on Friday, signing a four-and-a-half-year deal at the Stade Velodrome, and is hoping he can learn plenty from France international.

“We (me and Mandanda) already met at Evreux, but I was very young,” he told RMC Sport.

“After it was at Havre. We had a season where he was in the first team and I was at the training centre. We saw each other a little when the goalkeepers of the two groups came together.

“We spent one season together before he left for Marseille, so we know each other a little but no more. He is one of the best goalkeepers in Europe. I am going to learn with him, I will work to give my maximum and see what happens.”

The young goalkeeper is highly thought of in Marseille and Baup expects him to go on to be a top player in the future.

“He has big potential for the position of goalkeeper and he is a player for the future,” he told the official OM website.

“We will work with him. It is an investment in the short term and for the future.”