Samba relishing Anzhi opportunity

Christopher Samba has effectively conceded his decision to rejoin Anzhi Makhachkala from Queens Park Rangers is all about the money.

The 29-year-old central defender has claimed it was a ‘big decision’ to leave QPR after just six months at the London-based club but argued the offer from Anzhi was ‘too good to let it pass by’.

Samba told the Daily Mirror he was completely focused on preseason with QPR and hoped to help the club back into the English Premier League after he was part of the failed campaign to avoid the Championship under Harry Redknapp.

“I was getting mentally prepared for the battle in the Championship to come back up,” Samba said.

“(QPR owner) Tony Fernandes is a great man.

“Tony wanted to keep me and help him back up but I believe the offer from Russia was too good to let it pass by.

“I was not planning to go anywhere.

“I wanted to reward the club for their support by helping them come back up.”

Samba explained one of the main reasons he decided to return to Anzhi was that the Dagestan-based Russian Premier League club agreed to help relocate his family to Russia.

“My family are with me this time in Russia,” Samba said.

“That was a big part of my conditions.”

Anzhi have reportedly paid 12.5 million pounds for Samba, who was on a four-and-a-half-year deal with QPR, the same fee the Dagestanis received in January.

Samba’s agent Walid Bouzid has argued the deal suited Fernandes and QPR just as much as his client.

“Christopher has a special relationship with Tony Fernandes but QPR could not miss out on a great deal,” Bouzid said.