Queens Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp has expressed his disbelief over Arsenal's failure to sign Christopher Samba while he was with Blackburn Rovers. The Congolese defender admitted his desire to move to the Emirates, back in 2011. However, that deal did not take shape and he completed his move to Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala in February 2012.

Christopher Samba
Reuters

Redknapp believes if Samba had joined Arsenal a year ago, it would have solved Arsene Wenger's problem at the back. The ex-Tottenham manager claimed the central defender could have joined any of the top teams in the country last winter.

"When he was sold, I could never understand why Arsenal did not sign him that time. He is everything you need. He is quick, he can play round his feet. He is a proper centre-half. He could play anywhere in this country and for all the top teams," Redknapp told the Daily Star.

Samba completed a £12.5m move to the Rangers in the January transfer window. Redknapp revealed QPR received an offer from a Russian club on the final day of the winter transfer window for the services of the 28-year-old defender.

"We had an offer for Samba, right on the deadline and the chairman turned it down. We had an offer of more money than what we paid for Samba. The chairman had a massive offer for him to go back to Russia," he added.

However, QPR chairman Tony Fernandes rejected the offer from the Russian side and hence the Congolese defender remained at Loftus Road. Redknapp claims he let the club decide on the defender's future.

"The chairman asked me 'what do you think?' and I said 'it is up to you, it is your club, it is your decision'. I would have had no problem. I left it to the chairman. He came back and said he had turned it down and said 'get on with it'. The player probably spoke to the chairman but it was really important we kept him. It was really good for us. Had we had lost him, I would say that is football. He is a proper player," the ex-Spurs manager concluded.

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