Borussia Dortmund have approved midfielder Shinji Kagawa's wish to join Turkish club Besiktas on loan until the end of the current campaign.

"Shinji is not only an excellent footballer but a great friend of our club too. We didn't want to deny him this request," explained sporting director Michael Zorc, who highlighted the "outstanding contribution" made by the Japan international following his move from Cerezo Osaka in 2010.

The versatile midfielder was a cornerstone of the team that won the 2011 and 2012 Bundesliga titles, and played a key role in the 2012 DFB Cup triumph, scoring the first goal in the 5-2 victory over Bayern Munich in the final in Berlin. He once again dictated the rhythm of the game in the 2017 DFB Cup final against Eintracht Frankfurt, which BVB won by a 2-1 scoreline. In total, he has made 216 appearances in Black & Yellow and scored 60 goals.

Kagawa spent two seasons playing for Manchester United in the English Premier League between July 2012 and August 2014, before opting to return to Dortmund. "BVB is like a family," he said at the time.

The 29-year-old has only made four appearances in all competitions this season. "For that reason, we can really understand Shinji's predicament and his desire to get more playing time at another club," said Zorc, adding: "Shinji believes he will have this opportunity in Istanbul, and we were happy to grant him his wish."