Japan striker Yuya Kubo has been loaned to Bundesliga side Nuremberg for the 2018-19 season by Gent, the Belgian first-division club announced Sunday.

The loan includes an option for Kubo to make a full transfer to Nuremberg, which was recently promoted to the Bundesliga top tier after finishing runner-up in the second division last season.

The 24-year-old, who started his career with J-League side Kyoto Sanga in 2011 before playing four seasons with Young Boys in the Swiss Super League, said he had learned about the Bundesliga club from Japan teammates.

"I knew Nuremberg a little because Hiroshi Kiyotake and Makoto Hasebe played here," Kubo said on the team's website. "I'm looking forward to the task. The Bundesliga is a strong league, but the club has a young and talented team. I hope I can help them with goals and assists."

Nuremberg's sporting director Andreas Bornemann said, "Yuya can be used offensively in several positions. With his signing, we vastly expand our options. I saw him a few times during his time at Young Boys and had him on my radar back then."

Manager Michael Kollner was also happy with the transfer, saying Kubo is "an agile ball handler and a creative player who is able to find solutions within a very small space."

Kubo has 13 caps and two goals for Japan, but was not part of Akira Nishino's side at the recent World Cup in Russia. He will begin training with the team on Tuesday ahead of their season opener against Hertha Berlin on Saturday.