Algeria keeper Rais Mbolhi joins Russian club Samara

Russian club Krylya Sovietov Samara signed Algeria goalkeeper Rais Mbolhi from Bulgaria's Slavia Sofia on a three-and-a-half-year contract on Thursday.

"I'm a bit sad because I love him (Mbolhi) like a son but I know it's good for him," Slavia president Ventsislav Stefanov told Bulgarian Darik radio. "I know he''ll be the best goalkeeper in Russia."   

Stefanov refused to confirm the transfer fee, saying only that Slavia would get "several million dollars" for the 24-year-old who represented France at oyuth level.                                           

Mbolhi, part of Algerian team at the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa, joined CSKA Sofia on a three-and-a-half-month loan deal in August to bolster their squad for the Europa League.