Blackburn ace Chris Samba pleads for switch to Arsenal

Posted Thursday, July 28, 2011 by The Sun

CHRIS SAMBA has stunned Blackburn by pleading: Let me join Arsenal.

The Rovers skipper said: "I want to play Champions League football. Which player doesn't dream of that?"

The giant French defender, 27, signed a new five-year deal at Ewood Park only a few months ago.

But he insisted: "A player who has no ambition to play at a higher level has made a mistake and chosen the wrong sport.
"I don't know what is happening with Arsenal because I am not dealing with it and it's not my problem.

"At the minute I am still at Blackburn but it would be a big lie if I told you 'everything is good and I don't want to play in the Champions League'.

"I don't know what the board and the manager at Blackburn are planning or what provisions they have made for signing new players.

"It is difficult for me at the moment because I'm just waiting to see what happens and concentrating on my preparation for the new season."

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has been weighing up a £12million bid for Samba for months but has so far failed to make a firm offer.

Wenger could be lining up a defensive double whammy by also landing Everton's Phil Jagielka before the big kick-off on August 13.

The Frenchman had a £10m bid for the England star, 28, rejected earlier this month.

But Wenger is refusing to give up on his long-term transfer target.

And he is ready to test the Toffees' resolve with an improved £15m offer for their top defender.

Wenger sees Samba and Jagielka as the perfect solution to his central defensive problem which has hindered the Gunners' title challenge in the last few seasons.

The Arsenal chief tried to sign the Goodison man last summer but his £12m bid was rebuffed by the Merseysiders.

Jagielka has remained on the Frenchman's radar since then.

But, bizarrely, Wenger offered even less dough for him this year.

That offer was laughed out of court by Everton's hierarchy, who value their defender much higher.

But the cash-strapped Toffees need money to strengthen their ailing squad.

Goodison boss David Moyes does not want to lose his inspirational star, who joined from Sheffield United for £4m in July 2007.

But he knows he could fund two new signings with the transfer cash received from Arsenal.