Stuttgart takes Gotoku Sakai on loan

Published Dec. 23, 2011 7:34 a.m. ET

foxsports

Stuttgart says it has signed Japan defender Gotoku Sakai from Albirex Niigata on loan until June 2013.

The Bundesliga club says it has taken an option to sign Sakai to a longer deal. The defender can play on both flanks.

The 20-year-old Sakai has a German mother. He joins Japan striker Shinji Okazaki in Stuttgart's squad.