Anzhi Makhachkala appoint Yuri Krasnozhan as coach

Krasnozhan led Spartak Nalchik to the Russian top flight in 2005

Big-spending Russian Premier League side Anzhi Makhachkala have appointed Yuri Krasnozhan as their new manager.

The former Lokomotiv Moscow coach will manage a squad that includes four-time African player of the year Samuel Eto'o and Brazilian World Cup winner Roberto Carlos.

Anzhi are bankrolled by billionaire Suleyman Kerimov and currently lie seventh in the Russian championship.

Fabio Capello, Guus Hiddink and Jose Mourinho had been linked with the job.

Krasnozhan, sacked by Lokomotiv in June, has signed a five-year contract with the Dagestan team.

The 48-year-old replaces Carlos and Andrei Gordeyev, who took control of team affairs after the sacking of former coach Gadzhi Gadzhiyev in September.

"I'm very grateful to the Anzhi bosses for entrusting me with these huge responsibilities," said Krasnozhan, who enjoyed success as a coach at North Caucasus rivals Spartak Nalchik between 2004 and 2010.

"Anzhi have become one of the more popular clubs in recent times, followed not only in Russia but also round the world."

Anzhi made headlines in February with the signing of former Real Madrid full-back Carlos and followed that with the capture of Cameroon captain Samuel Eto'o from Inter Milan on reported wages of 10m euros (£8.7m) as season.

The Russian Premier League resumes in March with Anzhi lying only seven points behind second-place CSKA Moscow with 12 matches of the season remaining.