Trinidad and Tobago defender Sheldon Bateau completed a six-month loan move to Kairat Almaty from Russian club Krylia Sovetov Samara on Tuesday.
FC Kairat is based in Almaty, which plays in the Kazakhstan Premier League, the highest level of Kazakh football. The club’s home ground is the Central Stadium which has a capacity of 23,804.
Bateau will play alongside Russian international and former Arsenal midfielder Andrey Arshavin.
“I’m obviously happy to make this move. Kairat is a very good team with big ambitions for Europe and I’m excited to start training and playing with the guys,” Bateau told TTFA Media on Tuesday.
“Unfortunately I can’t play in the first rounds of the European League qualifications but I have no doubt that we’ll make it to the second round so I’m patiently waiting to make my debut.
“It’s another step in my career and I’m happy to be playing alongside a player like Arshavin,” added the former San Juan Jabloteh player.
“To me this is a positive step and I will be pushing myself to be a fixture into the starting team and also keeping myself ready for the next set of qualifiers in September which hopefully I will be part of the squad for,” Bateau added.
The 26-year-old Bateau has previously played in Belgium with KV Mechelen, beginning his playing career in Europe in 2012. His consistent form resulted in Sheldon signing a two-year contract extension, on 18 January 2013, keeping him at Mechelen until the end of the 2014–15 season
Bateau has 23 senior international caps for T&T with three goals and is a former National Under 20 captain, having also appeared at two FIFA Youth World Cups, the 2007 Under 17 in South Korea and the 2009 Under 20 World Cup in Egypt.
WATCH: Sheldon Bateau’s first interview with his new club, FC Kairat