Queens Park Rangers on Thursday announced the signing of defender Christopher Samba from Anzhi Makhachkala for a club-record fee reported to be £12.5 million ($19.7 million, 14.6 million euros).
The Congolese centre-back, 28, has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal at Loftus Road.
Samba, who left Blackburn Rovers for Russian side Anzhi in February last year, has been signed to aid QPR's bid to haul themselves off the foot of the Premier League table and out of the relegation zone.
The giant central defender will wear the number five shirt and fills the void left by New Zealand centre-back Ryan Nelsen, who has decided to become the head coach at Major League Soccer side Toronto FC.
"This is an unbelievable signing," QPR manager Harry Redknapp told the club's official website.
"(Chairman) Tony Fernandes deserves a lot of credit for this one -- he has worked so hard on bringing him in.
"I was speaking with him a month ago and he asked me who I would want to sign if Ryan Nelsen left. He asked me to give him a couple of names.
"I said to him: 'Well, these aren't possible to get, but if you're asking me who I'd have, I'll give you a couple of players.' One of them was Chris Samba.
"The next thing I know, he's telling me that he's working on bringing him in! It's amazing.
"Chris is just what we need. He's a monster. Great in the air, quick, a leader, strong, fantastic in both boxes, hard as nails. He's a proper centre-half."
Despite joining a club who are currently four points adrift of safety in the English top flight, Samba says he is excited about the challenges ahead.
"I'm delighted to be back in the Premier League," he said. "It's the best league in the world to play football.
"I've been linked with the club for a long time. With Harry here, though, he is really passionate and he wants to do something with the club.
"Unfortunately things haven't gone the way the club would have wanted so far this season but there's still a lot of time and I'm sure we can get out of it.
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe we could get out of trouble."
