Berlin, Aug 28 : German side Union Berlin have signed centre-back Felix Uduokhai from Besiktas Istanbul, bringing the 28-year-old back to the Bundesliga after two years in Turkey, the club has announced.

Uduokhai arrived one year before his contract in Istanbul was due to expire, with Union not disclosing the length of his new deal. He becomes the Berlin side's latest defensive addition, following Marvin Friedrich, Stanley Nsoki and Belgian youngster Zeno Van den Bosch.

The left-footed defender made 150 Bundesliga appearances for VfL Wolfsburg and Augsburg before moving abroad in 2024. He made 58 competitive appearances for Besiktas, including in European competition, but lost his regular starting place last season and had yet to feature in the current campaign, reports Xinhua.

"For me, this move feels like exactly the right step at the right time. I missed the Bundesliga and wanted to be part of an ambitious club," Uduokhai said. "Union gave me a clear picture from the beginning of what we want to achieve together. Now I'm looking forward to getting to know the team, taking responsibility and experiencing many special moments together with the team and the fans," he added.

Union's managing director for men's professional football, Horst Heldt, highlighted the defender's experience and qualities in possession.

"Felix brings a profile that is not easy to find on the market. He is strong in duels, has good build-up play and knows the demands at a high level from many years in the Bundesliga and from a top club in the Super Lig," Heldt said. "We are convinced he will give our defence important impetus."

Born in Annaberg-Buchholz, Uduokhai came through 1860 Munich's youth system and made his professional debut in the second division in September 2016. He joined Wolfsburg in 2017 before moving to Augsburg on loan in 2019, with the transfer later made permanent.

Uduokhai also represented Germany at under-19, under-20 and under-21 levels, reaching the 2019 European Under-21 Championship final. He was part of Germany's squad at the Tokyo Olympics, scoring the winner against Saudi Arabia, and received his first senior national team call-up from Joachim Loew in November 2020 without making an appearance. Union Berlin signs Uduokhai to bolster defense.

/IANS