CHRIS Samba is “very close” to pledging his long-term future to Blackburn Rovers – and boss Steve Kean believes it would be another “massive” sign of the club’s exciting future.
The Rovers skipper talked to club owners Venky’s on Saturday about their vision for the future, with Kean hopeful he will now pen a new deal early this week – to follow club captain Ryan Nelsen, who committed himself until 2013 over the weekend.
Junior Hoilett’s first league goal and Gabriel Tamas’ own goal saw Rovers climb to 7th in the Premier League with a 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion yesterday – with former boss Sam Allardyce back at Ewood for the first time.
Allardyce’s shock sacking back in December saw several senior players, including Samba and Nelsen, voice their concern but Kean insists everyone at the club is now fully behind Venky’s Rovers’ revolution.
Christopher Samba
The Rovers boss also voiced his frustrations in the transfer market but, after seeing Rovers climb to their highest Premier League position for two and a half years, he insists there is no desperate rush to strengthen.
He said: “We are hopeful we can put a contract together in the next 24 hours for Chris Samba. We have spoken to him.
“Chris has spoken to the owner yesterday and hopefully that can get put together and we can come out with some positive information alongside Ryan Nelsen – who committed himself for the rest of the career, which was tremendous.
“I think they are as good as signings as anyone I can bring to the club.
“When you can tie down the key members of the squad and when you can commit them to the long term.
“Ryan has been fantastic for us and committing himself shows he thinks it is a place he wants to be.
There were rumours there were players that were unsettled but they want to commit themselves to the club and that is fantastic.
“I think these two signings would be massive. There was the confusion when everything turned out the way it did but for Chris Samba the team captain and Ryan Nelsen the club captain to tie them down would be fantastic.
“One is already done and the second one is very close. I think they are enjoying their football.”
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EL-HADJI Diouf says he has been assured by Steve Kean that he still has a future at Blackburn Rovers.
Kean admitted last week that Rovers would listen to offers for Diouf, who is attracting interest from other clubs after the departure of manager and mentor Sam Allardyce.
West Ham are understood to be among those still eager to sign Diouf should he become available, but Kean last week denied reports that Rovers are trying to force the wide man out – and the player says he received personal assurances to that effect in a face-to-face meeting on Thursday.
Diouf said: “He told me to ignore any speculation about the club wanting to sell me.
“He gave me his full support and told me the club want me to stay, they don’t want me going anywhere.
“I feel 100 per cent Steve will keep his word, that Blackburn want me.
“I am determined to fulfil my contract. Clubs from England and Europe have enquired and agents are talking about me, but I am not an agent and all that matters is I am where I am.”
Diouf’s best success in England has been under Allardyce’s management, at both Bolton and Blackburn. The 30-year-old struggled to reproduce his best form at Liverpool and Sunderland, and asked to leave Bolton a year after Allardyce’s exit.
But Allardyce recently phoned Diouf to urge him to stick it out at Rovers.
“Everybody talks about the fact that if Sam goes somewhere I will join him,” said Diouf.
“But that is not the attitude of a professional and Sam himself wants me to stay here.
“He called me after he left and told me not to change my attitude towards the club because of him.
“Sam told me everyone in England knew I had been playing the best football of my career here.
“He told me Alex Ferguson commented that he had never seen me play as well as I have this season.
“And Sam is not the type of man just to tell you things for effect.”