Dortmund's Kagawa joins Besiktas on loan

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Group Stage - Group A - Club Brugge v Borussia Dortmund - Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges, Belgium - September 18, 2018 Borussia Dortmund's Shinji Kagawa applauds the fans next to a smoke bomb at the end of the match REUTERS/Francois Lenoir/File Photo

BERLIN (Reuters) - Borussia Dortmund midfielder Shinji Kagawa has joined Turkey's Besiktas on loan until the end of the season, the Bundesliga leaders said on Thursday.

A Bundesliga winner with Dortmund in 2011 and 2012, the 29-year-old Japan international was originally signed for 350,000 euros (£305,197) from Cerezo Osaka in Japan's second division in 2010.

He had a two-year spell at Manchester United from 2012-14 before returning to the Ruhr valley club.

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - DFB Cup Second Round - Borussia Dortmund v Union Berlin - Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany - October 31, 2018 Union Berlin's Manuel Schmiedebach in action with Borussia Dortmund's Shinji Kagawa REUTERS/Leon Kuegeler/File Photo

He has struggled to secure playing time under coach Lucien Favre this season, making just four appearances in all competitions. His contract with Dortmund runs until to 2020.

"We have a lot of understanding for Shinji's situation and for his wish to play more at a different club," Dortmund sports director Michael Zorc said.

"Shinji has this chance in Istanbul and we are happy to fulfil his wish."

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Toby Davis)