Forward Andrei Arshavin joins Kuban Krasnodar

Andrei-Arshavin

Russia's Andrei Arshavin. (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP)

MOSCOW — Former Arsenal forward Andrei Arshavin joined Russian Premier League team Kuban Krasnodar on Monday after leaving Zenit St. Petersburg.

The 34-year-old Arshavin won his third Russian title with Zenit last season but was a fringe player in Andre Villas-Boas’ team and departed when his contract expired at the end of the campaign.

He joins a Kuban team which struggled last season with a below-expectations 10th-place finish in the league amid reported financial problems.

The club is backed by the regional government and Arshavin met with the acting governor before signing with Kuban.

Arshavin has 75 caps for the Russian national team but last played for Russia in 2012 when he was booed by fans during coach Fabio Capello’s first game in charge.

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