Chris Samba exit good for Blackburn says Steve Kean

Christopher Samba's departure will help Blackburn's squad pull together in their fight against relegation from the Barclays Premier League, according to manager Steve Kean.

Rovers refused to let the defender leave during the January transfer window despite his very public desire to do so but Kean kept him out of the matchday squad and Samba finally got his wish on Friday when he joined Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala.

Kean told the Lancashire Telegraph: "The pivotal point was that Chris didn't want to apologise, didn't want to withdraw his transfer request and was very adamant that he wanted to leave and that played a big part of it.

"On a positive side, now we know everyone we have in the dressing room wants to be here. We will all be pulling together.

"We wish Chris all the best, he was very vocal in public about wanting to leave and he's got his wish. I hope he does really well out in Russia."

Samba joined Blackburn from Hertha Berlin in January 2007 for less than £500,000 and was a key figure at both ends of the pitch, playing almost 200 games and becoming captain of the side at the start of the 2010/11 season.

PA