QPR boss claims a top club is eyeing defender deal if R’s go down

By Tom Moore Saturday, February 9, 2013
8:00 AM

QPR manager Harry Redknapp revealed that an unnamed Premier League chairman had spoken to him about defender Chris Samba.

The Congo international joined the R’s on transfer deadline day for a club record fee, believed to be in the region of £12million.

But the 65-year-old believes that the club could recoup that money if they were relegated.

“You would sell Chris Samba for what you paid for him or more at the end of the season,” he said.

“I had a chairman ringing me a week ago asking me about him. He said he wished he’d known if he was available.

“I looked at him 18 months ago and I thought a big club would take Samba. I was always after him at Tottenham, always.”

Samba had a difficult year in Russia and was on the receiving end of racial abuse during his time at Anzhi.

“He just wanted to leave there,” Redknapp revealed. “He wanted to get home, get back and play. He can play in any team, he’s just that good.”

One man that has been frozen out by Redknapp is Jose Bosingwa but the Portuguese full back could make his first appearance at Swansea since refusing to be a substitute during December’s win over Fulham.

“He’s in the squad,” Redknapp revealed. “He gets paid every week to play football. he’s here.

“I don’t know how long he’s got on his contract. Are you going to pay him for two and a half years and not play?”