MOSCOW (Reuters) – Bosnia captain Emir Spahic completed his loan move to Anzhi Makhachkala from Sevilla after signing a contract with the Russian Premier League side until the end of the season on Wednesday.

"After the season Anzhi have an option to buy the player," the wealthy club from the volatile North Caucasus region said on its website (www.fc-anji.ru).

Atletico Madrid's Radamel Falcao (L) and Sevilla's Emir Spahic fight for the ball during their Spanish first division soccer match at Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid November 25, 2012. REUTERS/Sergio Perez

Anzhi hope the Croatia-born centre back will be a solid replacement for Congo international Christopher Samba, who left Russia to join English Premier League strugglers Queens Park Rangers just before the January 31 transfer deadline.

Spahic, 32, who joined Sevilla from French club Montpellier in July 2011, is familiar with the Russian league having spent nearly six years at Moscow clubs, Torpedo and Lokomotiv, as well as Shinnik Yaroslavl.

Russian clubs can register players for the domestic season until midnight Wednesday, although Spahic will not be eligible to play in Anzhi’s Europa League last 16 tie against Newcastle United next month.

(Reporting by Gennady Fyodorov, editing by Justin Palmer)

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