Kean - Better without Samba

Chris Samba: Steve Kean insists the Blackburn Rovers players are all pulling together following the defender's exit

Steve Kean insists the Blackburn Rovers dressing room is a more harmonious place following the departure of want-away defender Chris Samba.

The 27-year-old joined big spending Anzhi Makhachkala in a £12m deal on Friday, although Kean is unlikely to see any of the money as it will go to easing the financial woes at the cash strapped club.

Samba handed in a transfer request in January with hopes of a move down to London to join Tottenham or Queens Park Rangers during the transfer window.

But when a move failed to materialise and talks with Rovers broke down the Congolese man agreed to join the Russian millionaires on a four-year deal.

Kean said: "From our point of view Chris never withdrew his transfer request or apologised. He wanted to go - and made that quite public.

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