Bruce says he spoke to Crystal Palace boss Sam Allardyce about the defender, who is training with Aston Villa.
Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce
Steve Bruce has confirmed to the Birmingham Mail that Congolese defender Chris Samba is trying to earn a contract at Aston Villa.
However, the Villans boss refused to call Samba’s spell at Bodymoor Heath a trial.
Samba is a free agent after leaving Panathinaikos last month, enabling him to sign for another club outside of the transfer window, and Bruce suggested it was the former Blackburn Rovers player who approached Villa regarding a possible deal.
Samba was brought to English football a decade ago by former Rovers boss Sam Allardyce, who is understood to have been keen on bringing the 32-year-old to Crystal Palace.
Palace eventually landed Liverpool’s Mamadou Sakho on loan, however, leaving Villa in pole position to profit.
“We’ve known Chris and everybody knows him. He’s back in the country and wanted to come and train,” Bruce said.
“I spoke to Big Sam [Allardyce] who had him at Blackburn. We are delighted that he’s here. I think it would be wrong to say it’s a trial.
“He wants to earn a contract with us and he’s been here for the past week.”
Samba spent five years at Blackburn before being sold to Anzhi Makhachkala for £12 million in 2012.
Christoper Samba (number 4) in action for Dinamo Moscow
And though the France-born stopper was back in the Premier League with Queens Park Rangers the following January, he returned to Russia after the R’s relegation that campaign.
Villa have yet to win this calendar year and have slipped to 17th in the Championship, a mere six points above the bottom three.
Should Aston Villa hand a contract to Samba?
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