Aston Villa will reportedly give Chris Samba the chance to win a contract over pre-season.
Christopher Samba and Norwich’s Wes Hoolahan in action
According to the Birmingham Mail, defender Chris Samba will continue to train with Aston Villa into the beginning of pre-season training.
With a defensive crisis in February, Villa decided to take Samba on trial, handing him a chance to win a permanent contract at Villa Park.
Samba, 32, became a Premier League star with Blackburn Rovers following a 2007 move from Hertha Berlin, scoring 16 times in 161 league games.
The Congo international moved had two spells with Anzhi Makhachkala either side of a stint with Queens Park Rangers, and spent two years with Dinamo Moscow.
General view before the game
Most recently, Samba was playing in Greece with Panathinaikos, but he was released in January 2017, making him a free agent and subsequently available to join Villa on trial.
Whilst fans fans expected a swift decision fro the club over a possible deal for Samba, the giant centre back continues to train with Villa – and that situation appears to be about to continue.
Christopher Samba
The Birmingham Mail report that Samba is now set to spend the pre-season – including training and friendlies – with Villa, as manager Steve Bruce looks to give Samba the best possible chance to win a contract.
A centre back appears to be on Villa’s summer shopping list, and whilst the likes of Michael Hector (Chelsea), Marc Roberts (Barnsley) and Aden Flint (Bristol City) are also mentioned, Samba represents a budget option for Villa.
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