Spartak put faith in Filipenko

FC Spartak Moskva have signed 19-year-old Belarussian international central defender Yegor Filipenko on a five-year contract from FC BATE Borisov.

'Good prospects'
The twice-capped Filipenko, who scored two goals in 20 games to help BATE claim a second successive title in Belarus in 2007, said: "I do not expect to play for the first team straight away, but that's normal. Everything will depend on me." Spartak general manager Sergei Shavlo added: "Filipenko is a young centre-back with good prospects and we needed to strengthen this position. He will require time to adapt but we will count on him next season."

League position
Spartak lie second in the Russian Premier-Liga, trailing FC Zenit St. Petersburg by two points with two matches to go. They start their UEFA Cup Group E campaign at home to Bayer 04 Leverkusen on 8 November. Filipenko cannot be registered for European competition until the transfer window opens on 1 January 2008.