By Osasu Obayiuwana BBC Sport Online

Partizan Belgrade have told BBC Sport Online that Nigerian defender Taribo West has agreed to play for the club.

A press conference formally announcing the deal took place in Belgrade at 1700gmt on Thursday.

West agreed an 18-month contract with the Yugoslavian club.

The former Inter and AC Milan central defender was expected to sign a deal by Tuesday but club officials said the Nigerian was delayed due to 'visa complications.'

West, who played for Nigeria at the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, is expected to join Partizan's training camp in Antalya, Turkey.

"Taribo is an excellent player and we are confident that he will fill the missing link in our defence," Partizan official Sasha Bosiljcic told BBC Sport Online.

"We have heard that Taribo had problems with other clubs (for returning late from international engagements involving Nigeria) but our manager Lothar Matthaus talked to him about that.

"I am sure that as two great people in football they will honour their promises to each other," Bosiljcic said.

The team, managed by the 1990 German World Cup winner, is preparing in Turkey for the Yugoslav Championship, which resumes on 26 February.