Leverkusen take Papadopoulos on loan

Bayer 04 Leverkusen have signed Greek international defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos on a year-long loan from FC Schalke 04 ahead of the UEFA Champions League play-offs.

The 22-year-old arrived in Gelsenkirchen in 2010 from Olympiacos FC and has made 61 appearances in the Bundesliga for the Königsblauen, scoring three times. Injury last season restricted Papadopoulos to just four league appearances and the defender was also forced to miss the World Cup.

"I am really happy that this transfer finally worked out," he said after the move. "Bayer, like Schalke, are a club with big international ambitions. Unfortunately I suffered a lot of injuries last season, but now I am fully fit again and highly motivated to reach my personal goals and also the goals of my new club."

The defender's contract at Schalke runs until June 2016, and the club made it clear the defender will return after his year at Leverkusen. "It was Kyriakos's wish to be able to get an increased amount of playing time following his long injury break, that is why we have agreed to loan him out and we hope that his expectations will be fulfilled," explained Schalke sporting director Horst Heldt.

After making it to the round of 16 last season, Leverkusen start this campaign in the play-offs and will find out their opponents in Friday's draw.