'It would be incredible to play alongside Iniesta'

The German striker was enthusiastic about the possible signing of Iniesta for the Japanese side. He said: "If he came, it would be incredible, playing against players like him is a great incentive and having him as a team-mate would also be very important for me."

"Iniesta is a great player, one of those that you want in all the teams. On a map of the whole world, he could touch any one place with his finger and he would be welcome," he concluded.

The legendary midfielder said goodbye to Barcelona after 22 years with the Catalan giants and having enjoyed unparalleled success during his time there, but it is time for a new adventure for the 34-year-old.

Vissel Kobe is one of the teams in contention to sign Iniesta and the No. 8 could well be sharing a dressing room with former Bayern Munich and Arsenal star Lukas Podolski next season.