LONDON - RUSSIA international Yuri Zhirkov completed his move from CSKA Moscow to Chelsea on Tuesday, the English FA Cup holders said on their website (www.chelseafc.com).

'Any footballer would be happy to sign a contract with Chelsea, and at any time,' the 25-year-old said after signing a three-year deal with the Premier League club.

'I have been received very well here and have been shown the base at the Cobham training ground, everything is super'.

Zhirkov, who has played 31 times for Russia, was one of the 30 nominees for last year's European Footballer of the Year award and was named Russia's 2008 Footballer of the Year.

He joined a growing band of compatriots in London with international team mate Roman Pavlyuchenko at Tottenham Hotspur and Andrei Arshavin at Arsenal.

Chelsea's owner is Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, while Zhirkov has won the majority of his Russian caps under coach Guus Hiddink, who was Chelsea's temporary coach for the second half of last season.

Zhirkov, a left-sided player who usually performs as an attacking midfielder but can also operate as a winger or full-back, scored 15 goals in 139 appearances for CSKA.

He made his full international debut in February 2005 against Italy and was named in the Uefa Team of the Tournament following Euro 2008 when Russia reached the semi-finals. -- REUTERS