Queens Park Rangers signs Christopher Samba

Queens Park Rangers says it has signed central defender Christopher Samba from Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala on a 4 1/2-year deal for an undisclosed club record fee.

Samba says on QPR's website that he is ''delighted to be back in the Premier League. It's the best league in the world to play football.''

QPR coach Harry Redknapp says the transfer ''is an unbelievable signing'' and that Samba is ''great in the air, quick, a leader, strong, fantastic in both boxes and a proper center half.''

The London based team is last in the Premier League with 16 points.