Soccer-Japan's Itakura moves to Schalke in one-year loan deal

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Copa America Brazil 2019 - Group C - Ecuador v Japan - Mineirao Stadium, Belo Horizonte, Brazil - June 24, 2019 Japan's Ko Itakura in action REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez

(Reuters) - Japan international Ko Itakura has joined German second division side Schalke 04 on a one-year loan deal from Manchester City.

Schalke announced the move on their official website on Friday and revealed they have an option to buy the 24-year-old upon completion of the season.

Itakura joined City in January 2019 and was immediately loaned to Dutch side Groningen, where he spent the last two-and-a-half seasons.

Itakura was a member of the Japan squad that finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympic Games and has also played five times for Hajime Moriyasu's senior national team set-up.

(Reporting by Michael Church; editing by Jane Wardell)

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