Blackburn hope £26m spree gets Samba to stay
Published 23:00 09/06/11 By David Anderson
Steve Kean aims to prove Blackburn’s ambition to Chris Samba – after being handed a transfer kitty of more than £26million.
The Rovers manager is in India for his latest meeting with owners Venky’s and they have promised him ALL of Phil Jones’ transfer fee from Manchester United, on top of the £10m already pledged.
Kean, who succeeded Sam Allardyce in the Rovers hot-seat in December, has already made plans to spend most of his war chest and show Arsenal-target Samba that Rovers are not a selling club.
Skipper Samba has become unsettled by Arsene Wenger’s interest in him and Kean knows he needs to persuade him his future still lies at Ewood Park.
Kean is eyeing up Birmingham’s successful centre-half pair of Roger Johnson and Scott Dann, as well as Aston Villa defender James Collins.
He needs to rebuild his defence with 19-year-old Jones gone, and club captain Ryan Nelsen approaching his 34th birthday.
The Scot also wants free agent ex-Birmingham midfielder Sebastian Larsson, and to re-sign two loan stars, midfielder Jermaine Jones of Schalke and striker Roque Santa Cruz from Manchester City.
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