Updated

LEVERKUSEN, Germany --

Bayer Leverkusen has signed Chile midfielder Charles Aranguiz from Brazilian club Internacional on a five-year deal.

Aranguiz said that joining Leverkusen offers him good chances of playing in the Champions League and that he's looking forward to ''a really big challenge in another country.''

The player had been linked with a switch to English Premier League club Leicester City but decided on a move to Leverkusen instead.

The Bundesliga club's sporting director, Rudi Voller, said Thursday that the ''strategically adept'' 26-year-old will raise the quality of the team, which is expected to be one of reigning champion Bayern Munich's leading challengers this season.

Leverkusen gave no details of the transfer fee.