Mainz prospect Tauer switches loan locales
All parties involved confirmed an early termination of FSV Mainz 05 defensive midfielder Niklas Tauer's 18-month-loan deal with FC Schalke 04 on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old German youth international will spend the rest of the season on a new loan arrangement with Eintracht Braunschweig.
The 22-year-old German youth international will spend the rest of the season on a new loan arrangement with Eintracht Braunschweig.
| Niklas Tauer | Eintracht Braunschweig |
Tauer - thanks in part to some injury issues - only made three appearances for Schalke last spring. Matters didn't improve in the second division. Tauer earned only two deployments with Schalke this year, both at an unnatural defensive position. Braunschweig sporting director Benjamin Kessel made clear that his club had specific plans for Tauer, who does have 19 top-flight appearances to his credit.
"Niklas hasn't had an easy time at Schalke recently," Kessel noted in a statement accompanying the news, "but we are absolutely convinced of his qualities. He can be deployed in a variety of roles, but we think he's strongest in the centre of midfield. He has also already gained match practice at the highest national level with FSV Mainz 05. We are sure that Niklas will help us further."
