Bayern Munich: Can Tasci Find the Form That Made Him a Germany International?

Nearly nine years ago, then 20-year-old Serdar Tasci made the bench for Germany in a friendly against England. Joachim Low had seen a spark in the player, who had only made one appearance for the under-21 national side prior but had made a name for himself at Stuttgart in the Bundesliga.

Tasci eventually debuted for Germany a year later and went on to make 15 appearances for country between then and 2010. But by that point, his star was beginning to fade as the likes of Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels, Holger Badstuber and Benedikt Howedes began to emerge as the next generation of German center-backs.

Yet several years after appearing to fall off the radar of most fans of German football, Tasci is again in the spotlight as Bayern Munich's only signing of the 2016 January transfer window.

And now the question on every Bayern fan's mind is: What happened to Tasci, and what will he bring during his time at the Allianz Arena?

Truth be told, the board at Bayern probably isn't entirely sure what to expect. A week ago, following news that Boateng would miss almost the entire remainder of the season, club president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge admitted (according to DPA, h/t Goal): "There are no good players on the market."

"If there had been someone on the market of the quality of Bayern, we would be dealing with them," he added.

Yet days later, Bayern moved to bring in Tasci as emergency cover. Their crisis in central defense had worsened, with Javi Martinez also having joined the casualties list with a knee problem that required surgery.

Thus, on transfer deadline day, they signed Tasci from Spartak Moscow on a six-month loan deal.

The previously cited Goal article claimed Bayern had been monitoring Shkodran Mustafi as a potential full transfer, but apparently the club decided not to move for the Valencia man, who would have been cup-tied but could have worn the Bayern shirt in the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal, and would have been a long-term buy.

Tasci is eligible in all three competitions, but the fact that he was signed only on loan suggests the Munich giants aren't entirely sure of him just yet.

It's for good reason that Bayern aren't yet convinced by the 28-year-old: He's a talented defender, but it's rare that a player peaks in his early 20s before losing his status as an international and moving to Moscow's less historically successful club at 26.

In context, though, it's understandable how things went somewhat awry for Tasci. He was a good player, but Germany had even more talented options in defense that emerged soon after he did. The under-21 team that won the European Championship in 2009 was full of stars that eventually became established, senior internationals. Tasci was unfortunate enough to emerge at the wrong time.

All the while, the strong Stuttgart side that Tasci had emerged from—which won the 2006-07 Bundesliga title and qualified for the 2009-10 Champions League knockout stage—was starting to crumble. The Swabians went from sixth in 2010 to 12th a year later, to sixth in 2012 and to 12th again in 2013.

There was no stability at the club. So when Spartak, who'd finished 2012-13 in a Europa League spot and were backed by Lukoil, offered him €2.2 million in wages after tax (via Sports, in Russian), he made the jump to a new league and a fresh start.

Tasci wasn't able to help Stuttgart achieve a level of consistency, but he wasn't exactly the problem, either. The club had sold key players like Mario Gomez and Sami Khedira, and had done little to find quality replacements in their stead. Even Bernd Leno, a reserve player who would later become a star of the Bundesliga, was sold to Bayer Leverkusen.

The majority of Stuttgart's investment of funds from player sales went into infrastructure, financing a sizable expansion of the Mercedes-Benz Arena. It was nice for fans, but the club suffered in sporting terms and has consistently flirted with relegation ever since.

Even a world-class center-back probably wouldn't have been able to anchor the club, much less Tasci.

Things weren't exactly rosy for Tasci during his time at Spartak, either; the player was sidelined with an injury for his first half-season in Moscow, and he made just four appearances in his first campaign in the Russian capital.

He became a regular starter last season, but the situation in Russia has become substantially darker since then.

Although footballers in Russia are paid in euros, the collapse of the ruble prompted the Russian Premier League's 16 clubs to impose new contracts that effectively devalued every player's deal, sometimes by 20 percent or more, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN).

What's more, although Tasci has not commented directly on the matter, the recent conflict between Russia and Turkey has resulted in a less-than-savory situation for ethnic Turks like Tasci in Russia.

Per the Guardian, many students and businesspeople have been deported from Russia since Turkey downed a Russian military aircraft it claimed had violated its airspace in November, and Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko imposed a ban on Russian clubs signing Turkish players during the January 2016 transfer window, per R-Sport news agency (h/t the Daily Mirror).

Back in the country of his birth, with a stable contract and a less hostile atmosphere, Tasci will have a fresh start once more. And this time, perhaps he will be able to revive his career.

The 28-year-old is a quality defender who has a sturdy frame, is a good man-marker and is strong in the tackle. He'll need time to settle, and it may be tough to take the step up to the Bundesliga and Champions League, but the talent he showed in his youth is still there.

In all likelihood, Tasci will take the next six months as a try-out for a club that can offer him more than Spartak, be it Bayern or another potential suitor. And given his age, he'll have extra motivation: As he approaches his 29th birthday, his next contract will be his last chance at a big deal.

Thus, with all the reason in the world to be motivated and with a fresh start at a top club, now is Tasci's best chance to step back into the spotlight. The stage is set, now it's up to him to rise to the occasion.

@Mr_Bundesliga