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Schalke confirms loan agreement for Bayern's Badstuber

MICHAELA REHLE / Reuters

Bayern Munich defender Holger Badstuber agreed to join FC Schalke 04 on loan on Tuesday, and will link up with the Gelsenkirchen outfit subject to a medical.

The 27-year-old is set to remain with Schalke until June 30, 2017.

Schalke apparently beat Manchester City to the Germany international, following reports that Pep Guardiola was seeking to rekindle their working relationship from Bavaria in northwest England.

He was apparently intended as a replacement for City captain Vincent Kompany if the Belgian's latest comeback from injury was unsuccessful, but Badstuber, who has personally been victim of his own stacked list of fitness issues, will instead fight for a starting berth under Markus Weinzierl.

"Badstuber is, when it comes to bringing the ball out of defence, one of the best, but he has been injured for a long time," Schalke sporting director Christian Heidel told Sky Sports Germany, as reported by the Guardian's Jamie Jackson. "He won't have a guaranteed place even though he wants to get back to the player he was two years ago."

Potentially ahead of him for defensive consideration is Matija Nastasic, Naldo, and Benedikt Howedes, although the latter is currently struggling with a hip complaint. Further competition comes from the likes of Benjamin Stambouli and youngster Thilo Kehrer.

Badstuber has only played 28 league minutes this campaign ahead of Schalke's return to competitive action on Jan. 21 against Ingolstadt.

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