Reported Manchester City target Holger Badstuber has joined Schalke 04 on loan from Bayern Munich until the end of the season.
The 27-year-old had been linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium to reunite with former Bayern boss Pep Guardiola, having made just one start in all competitions under Carlo Ancelotti.
However, Badstuber has instead joined Schalke as he looks to get some much-needed playing time under his belt following an injury-plagued spell of his career.
"Holger deserves to play. He's been injured so often but now he's physically fit again and would like to play more games. That's why he asked us to allow him to go out on loan to Schalke, and we gladly agreed," Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told the club's official website.
"We hope Holger will get plenty of minutes under his belt in the coming months, and we wish him all the best."
Badstuber added: "I'm thankful that FC Bayern have complied with my request. I'd like to get some much-needed match practice at Schalke and I'm looking forward to my time in Gelsenkirchen."
Badstuber has been with Bayern since the age of 13, making almost 200 appearances for the senior side.
Barney Corkhill
