Vissel Kobe has signed Turkey World Cup striker Ilhan Mansiz from Turkish club Besiktas, officials of the J. League first division club said Monday.
The 28-year-old, who helped Turkey reach the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, has signed a two-year contract and will be officially unveiled at a news conference in Tokyo on Tuesday. He will be the first Turkish player to play in the J. League.