Nicolas Anelka's proposed transfer to Brazilian club Atletico Mineiro has hit a snag.
The 35-year old French striker was reported to have agreed a deal with the Belo Horizonte outfit following his exit from West Bromwich Albion but it has been suggested that the contract may not be completed.
Anelka, who converted to Islam in 2004, is believed to be in Kuwait on a religious trip to meet with young Muslims after he was invited by the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Mineiro were expecting the former Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea forward to arrive in Brazil on Monday but the controversial Anelka did not show.
Sport1.de as well as the Daily Mail are reporting that Mineiro have now ended their pursuit of Anelka who has previously played with 11 clubs throughout his career.
The former France international was sacked by Albion in March after the Football Association found him guilty of performing an anti-Semitic gesture known as the 'quenelle' after scoring against West Ham United in December last year.
Anelka was suspended for five matches but claims that he was the one to terminate his contract at The Hawthorns in a series of posts on Twitter.
Suite aux entretiens entre le club et moi, des propositions m'ont été faîtes pour que je réintègre le groupe sous certaines conditions
— nicolas anelka (@anelkaofficiel) March 14, 2014
que je ne peux pas accepter. Souhaitant garder mon intégrité, j'ai donc pris la décision de me libérer et de mettre fin au contrat
— nicolas anelka (@anelkaofficiel) March 14, 2014
me liant avec West Bromwich Albion jusqu'en 2014, et ce dès à présent.
— nicolas anelka (@anelkaofficiel) March 14, 2014
Translation reads: Following discussions between the club and me, proposals have been made to me that I rejoined the group under certain conditions that I can not accept. Wishing to keep my integrity, so I decided to free myself and to terminate the contract binding me with West Bromwich Albion until 2014, and now.
