Senegal striker Ibrahima Balde will have "no problems" adapting to Russia after joining FC Kuban, he said Wednesday.
Balde, 23, joined Kuban in late July on a four-year deal from Osasuna but his arrival was delayed because he competed in the Olympic tournament for Senegal before further problems obtaining a Russian visa.
"I don't think there will be problems," Balde said on the Kuban website.
"I have been playing abroad since my youth, since I moved to Argentina at the age of 16, so I have some experience of adaptation to a new place."
"Besides, I have received a very warm welcome. I was pleasantly surprised that everyone with whom I have had to talk to the base, from the CEO and the head coach to the security, offered me help any time I needed it."
Balde started his professional career in Argentina playing for Argentinos Juniors and Velez Sarsfield before moving to Europe in 2008 with Atletico Madrid.
After 18 appearances for Atletico over three years and a loan spell at Numancia, Balde joined Osasuna last year and made 22 appearances last season, scoring seven goals.
Balde has two caps for Senegal and grabbed his first international goal on his debut, a 3-1 World Cup qualification win over Liberia in June.
Russia B team boss Yuri Krasnozhan was announced as Kuban coach last Thursday, six days after ex-Chelsea player Dan Petrescu quit to seek "a new challenge", which turned out to be the vacant Dynamo Moscow post.
Kuban's next fixture is a home league game against FC Volga on Monday.
