Schalke confirm signing Niklas Tauer from Mainz

Schalke 04 have signed Mainz defensive-midfielder Niklas Tauer on a one-year-and-a-half year loan deal.

The news of the 21-year-old's move was confirmed by Schalke board member for sport Peter Knäbel, who said: "Niklas ticks all the boxes for the kind of player we were looking for: someone who knows the Bundesliga, who won't need long to settle in and who is versatile.

"We're confident that his mentality makes him a perfect fit for our club and that he will be able to show his real potential here," Knäbel added.

Tauer, who joined the Mainz youth setup in July 2012 before being promoted to the senior side in September 2019, said he was excited to have joined Schalke and hoped to being them success in the remaining games of the Bundesliga season.

"I'm fired up to work with the team towards our goal of staying up," Tauer said.

"Having played at Schalke a few weeks ago, I know what kind of energy the fans and the team can produce when they come together.

"We will need that spark for our remaining games this season," he added.

Schalke are really struggling this Bundesliga season and are bottom of the log after after 15 games on nine points. Schalke sit four points adrift of VFL Bochum, who are above them in 17 position on the table.