South Korean footballer Ji Dong-won has left English side Sunderland to join FC Augsburg in Germany on a permanent basis, both clubs announced Friday.

FC Augsburg, in the top-flight Bundesliga, said on its website that Ji, 22, will be returning for his second tour of duty with the team. Under a mutual agreement between the clubs, financial details were not disclosed.

Sunderland in the English Premier League also announced on its website that the forward has joined the German club.

Ji enjoyed a successful loan spell with FC Augsburg last season, scoring five goals in 17 matches and helping the club avoid relegation to the second division.

Since returning to Sunderland, however, Ji has mostly been relegated to the bench, appearing in only five of the team’s first 21 matches this season.

Ji told FC Augsburg’s website that he wanted to switch clubs this winter so that he could receive more regular action, which in turn would help him earn a spot on the South Korean team for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Ji will be joining a fellow South Korean on FC Augsburg, defensive back Hong Jeong-ho. The club is ranked eighth among 18 Bundesliga teams with 24 points from 17 games. (Yonhap News)