DNMSPORT: Anzhi Makhachkala-It's not just about the money, money money

With former Blackburn star Chris Samba signing a £12 million deal to play for the newest extremely-rich-owner team on the block, means another big statement from Anzhi Makhachkala (great to say also). Playing in the Russian Premier League it is owned by billionaire Sulyeman Kerimov who bought the club only in January last year. Makhachkala is the capital of the republic of Dagestan and plays in a stadium with a capacity of only 15,000. The streets around the stadium are not well kept and Dagestan is a country struggling with ethnic tensions, terrorism and in some parts poverty. Although only 5% of the population now are ethnic Russians, the country is still under Russian authority.

So why did Sulyeman buy such a small team in not exactly a well-known sporting location in Makhachkala? He is going to pump $200 million into stadium infrastructure and in the surrounding area to get the stadium to UEFA regulations of a 40,000 capacity. The country is unsafe enough that the squad is still flown in on home games and their training takes place in Moscow, not exactly next door. Sulyeman is a noted philanthropist, setting up a charity with his name to help in developing Russian communities and is spending $100 million on a top class school for gifted students west of Moscow. He obviously feels that if the Makhachkala residents had something to bring them together, say a successful squad (Football being a great bridger) then harmony in the region can be slowly worked towards. One things for sure, with the money being spent, they won't fail as both Manchester clubs, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Barcelona, and PSG show that money does equate to success, which ever way you look at it.

Anzhi Makhachkala's big signings:

Guus Hiddink

(PSV Eindhoven, The Netherlands, Real Madrid, Real Betis,South Korea, Australia, Russia, Turkey, Chelsea)