Former Cameroon international striker Patrick Mboma has joined J. League first division club Vissel Kobe on a one-year contract, Kobe officials said Wednesday.
The 33-year-old, who last week parted company with Tokyo Verdy, has completed player registration papers and could make his debut on the opening day of the second stage at home to Urawa Reds on Saturday.
Frustrated with his role as a substitute, Mboma left Verdy on Friday while Kobe announced the departure of Turkish World Cup star Ilhan Mansiz after he missed much of the J. League's first stage due to a knee injury.
A knee injury forced Mboma to start on the bench in many of Verdy's first-stage matches.