Eto´o begins Russian adventure

Samuel Eto’o has begun training with Anzhi Makhachkala after moving to the Russian Premier League club from Inter Milan.

Eto’o was introduced to his new team-mates and Anzhi’s backroom staff before taking to the training pitch.

The Cameroon striker, who has become one of the highest paid players in world football following the move, has signed a three-year deal with Anzhi.

The former Barcelona man will join other big name players at the Dagestan club, including Brazilian defender Roberto Carlos and former Chelsea winger Yuri Zhirkov.

A four-time African player of the year, Eto’o is still widely regarded as one of the best forwards in world football and has been brought to the club by Anzhi’s ambitious billionaire owner Suleiman Kerimov.

The club were founded in 1991 and only reached the Premier League for the first time in 1999.

Anzhi finished a modest 11th in the league standings last season, but are up to fourth this season as they look to qualify for the Champions League for the first time.

Although the club is based in Makhachkala on the western shore of the Caspian Sea, their players live and train in Moscow, only travelling to Dagestan to play their home games.

The war-torn region is too unstable for the Anzhi players to base themselves there.

Eto’o is scheduled to meet local supporters for the first time on the eve of Anzhi’s home match against Volga on September 11 .