Wolfsburg have signed Philipp Wollscheid on loan from Stoke City with a view to a permanent move next summer.
The 27-year-old former Bayer Leverkusen and Mainz defender fills a gap left by the sale of Dante to Nice earlier this summer.
"Wolfsburg have been an established top-third Bundesliga team in recent years and they now want to get back into Europe, and this is a very attractive challenge for me,'' Wollscheid said on the Bundesliga club's website.
"I'm sure we can realise this goal because we've got a strong team.''
Our new number 2 has arrived. Welcome in Wolfsburg, Philipp #Wollscheid! pic.twitter.com/htFBYOCXOB
- VfL Wolfsburg EN (@VfLWolfsburg_EN) August 31, 2016
Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking expressed his delight at bringing in such an experienced defender.
"I've always kept an eye on Philipp since our time together at Nurnberg and I've followed his career with interest,'' Hecking said.
"He's a very ambitious player who is hungry for success and he will further intensify our competition for places at the back.''
Wollscheid, who has been capped twice by Germany, played 45 times in the Premier League for Stoke while he previously made 108 Bundesliga appearances and has played in the Champions League and Europa League.