Brazilian club Atletico Mineiro have said they will not sign sacked West Brom striker Nicolas Anelka because the player took too long to report to the club.

Atletico director Eduardo Maluf was expecting Anelka to arrive on Monday, but has since been informed by the Frenchman's agents that he would not land in Brazil until the end of the week.

Anelka is supposedly in Kuwait on a religious trip but the Brazilian club have seemingly run out of patience with the former France international.

Next move: Anelka's contract was terminated by West Brom after he was suspended for gross misconduct

Ready to crow: Nicolas Anelka was expected to move to Ateltico Mineiro in Brazil alongside Ronaldinho

'He had the obligation to let us know about this in advance,' said Maluf. 'Atletico is much bigger than this, the deal is off.'

Maluf said the club are considering filing a complaint to FIFA against the player and his agents, saying they broke their agreement with Atletico.

The 35-year-old striker has been without a club since West Bromwich Albion sacked him in March following a five-match suspension for a racially aggravated goal celebration. Anelka said he was the one who terminated his contract with the Premier League club.

The former Manchester City and Chelsea player was suspended for performing an anti-Semetic quenelle gesture.

At Atletico, he was set to form a duo with former Brazil star Ronaldinho, his teammate at Paris Saint-Germain in the early 2000s. Brazilian media said the players had talked and Ronaldinho helped convince the Frenchman to join the club.

Atletico Mineiro is the defending champion of the Copa Libertadores, Latin America's most important club competition.

Journeyman: If Anelka goes to Brazil, it will be the seventh league the striker has played in and his 12th club

Limelight: Ronaldinho moved to Atletico Mineiro in 2012