Anzhi Makhachkala defender Jonathan Mensah is enjoying life in the Russian top flight, despite having been periodically kept out by injury.

The Ghanaian joined the Eagles from French Ligue 1 club Evian TG on a two-and-a-half-year deal in July.

“The season is OK for me,” Mensah told Kwesse Sports

“Due to injury, I missed some of games but I played nine out of 15 games in the first half of the season, so it is not bad.

"I think if I was fit throughout, I would have played all the games.

“I’m very thankful to God because I have come a long way, but I also know there is so much I can do.

“There have been difficult moments but I have made progress.

"All I can hope for is good health, to be able to stay in shape to do what I do best for my country, club and myself.”

Mensah transferred to Evian from Italian side Udinese in 2011 following a loan spell with La Liga outfit Granada.

He has previously played for South African side Free State Stars and Ashanti Gold in Ghana.

Mensah was a member of Ghana’s gold-winning squad at the 2009 Fifa Under-20 World Cup in Egypt, having gone on to represent the Black Stars at the 2010 and 2014 Fifa World Cup tournaments in South Africa and Brazil respectively.

The centre-back has also been to four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, winning silver in 2010 and 2015.