Anzhi director stunned by Samba outlay

Anzhi Makhachkala director German Tkachenko says Queens Park Rangers “lost their minds” after signing Christopher Samba for big money.

Samba joined the English Premier League strugglers for 14.5 million euros, with manager Harry Redknapp claiming the 28-year-old took a significant wage cut to complete the switch.

However, Tkachenko says QPR are paying Samba – who he rates as “one of the top five defenders” in Europe – a similar wage to what he was receiving in Russia, and revealed he cried when leaving for London.

“At QPR he will earn almost as much as he did at Anzhi,” he told sports.ru.

“In my view QPR have lost their minds.

“Everybody says that he ran away from the club, but that’s not true. He didn’t put any pressure on the club until we received an offer from QPR for 12.5 million pounds, the amount required by his contract.

“When they agreed to pay his release fee we wept. He wept.”

“He was a guy who loved all of us. And besides, he is a very good defender. I think he is one of the top five defenders currently playing in Europe.

“If we are successful and playing in the Champions League, I dream that Samba will become an Anzhi player again.”