Leverkusen snap up Hilbert from Beşiktaş

Bayer 04 Leverkusen have lured Roberto Hilbert back to the Bundesliga on a free transfer from Turkish side Beşiktaş JK.

The 28-year-old right-back has signed a two-year contract and will bring a wealth of experience to the club, having won the Bundesliga in the first of four seasons at VfB Stuttagart in 2007 before moving to Turkey with Beşiktaş, where he lifted the Turkish Cup in 2011. "I'm delighted that the deal is done," said Hilbert, capped eight times by Germany. "Leverkusen is a great club, one that has given me the chance to prove myself in the Bundesliga and in the Champions League."

Sporting director Rudi Völler also expressed delight at capturing the full-back. "Hilbert is a good tackler, he's aggressive and has the necessary strengths in attack," he said. "He'll certainly provide us with much more variety." Leverkusen chief executive Wolfgang Holzhäuser added: "In Roberto Hilbert, we've signed an experienced and attacking right-back for the club. He arrives with international experience and makes us more tactically flexible on the right."

Having finished third in the Bundesliga last term, Leverkusen will enter the UEFA Champions League in the group stage, the draw for which takes place on 29 August in Monaco.