Christopher Samba: Ambition brought me to Russia

Christopher Samba has denied claims that he only joined Anzhi Makhachkala because of the amount of money he is being paid.

The central defender claims that he joined Anzhi from Blackburn Rovers because of the Russian club's ambition.

Samba believes that if Anzhi continue to buy players, they replicate the same rise to prominence as Manchester City.

"They may be a little club, but they have ambition," the 27-year-old told The Sun.

"This is a team with a realistic chance to play at the highest level of European football. They have the ambition and the money.

"They bought me for £12m - plus Roberto Carlos, Yuri Zhirkov and Samuel Eto'o. There will be more big names coming, I know of two which will surprise people that we will sign in the summer. We'd like to do what Man City have done."

Samba is expected to earn wages in the region of 100k a week at his new club.