Soccer-Vissel Kobe confirm Osako signing from Werder Bremen

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Bundesliga - SC Paderborn v Werder Bremen - Benteler Arena, Paderborn, Germany - June 13, 2020 Werder Bremen's Yuya Osako celebrates scoring their second goal, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Friedemann Vogel/Pool via REUTERS

(Reuters) - Japan international striker Yuya Osako has joined Vissel Kobe, the J-League side announced on Sunday after signing the 31-year-old forward from German club Werder Bremen.

Osako returns to Japan after seven-and-a-half seasons in Germany, where he also played for 1860 Munich and FC Koln. He was unveiled by Kobe a day after they confirmed the capture of free agent Yoshinori Muto.

The striker joins a Kobe side who are third in the J-League standings as they attempt to qualify for next year's Asian Champions League.

Osako has scored 23 times in 49 games for Japan and remains the first-choice centre forward for national team head coach Hajime Moriyasu.

He was a member of the Japanese squad at the 2018 World Cup when they reached the knockout rounds and was also a part of the team that finished as runners-up at the 2019 Asian Cup.

(Reporting by Michael Church in Hong Kong, Editing by Clare Fallon)

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