Why Matthias Ginter Is the Player Borussia Dortmund Should Loan Out in January

Suggesting Borussia Dortmund should loan out a player in the current transfer window might seem odd at first blush. Head coach Thomas Tuchel recently told the media during the club's training camp in Dubai that the squad is small, via SportBild's Heiko Ostendorp on Twitter (link in German), and indications are that Dortmund will try to add a player or two, and not lose one.

While it's true that the Black and Yellows don't have a lot of depth, they only lack options in attack. Their defence, on the other hand, is bulging with a number of options for every position.

Because of that, the club would do well to look at the future and at a possible departure of centre-back Mats Hummels in this or next year's summer transfer windows. It'd be a good idea to send Matthias Ginter out on loan. 

It might seem crazy to have that idea, given that Ginter impressed for the most part in his newfound role at right-back in the first half of Dortmund's 2015/16 season. He scored three goals and assisted a whopping 10 in 23 appearances across competitions, per Transfermarkt.co.uk, starting at right-back in 18 of those games.

However, his scoring contribution—which overshadowed defensive problems especially early after his move out wide—has largely died down, and as we detailed late in December, he's not guaranteed a starting spot by any means. Lukasz Piszczek started five of Dortmund's last six games at right-back.

Our recommendation comes with a number of caveats, however.

For one, Ginter can only leave if no one else leaves. Neven Subotic is the name to watch, but rumours about his possible departure have been few and far between lately and Tuchel is adamant that he doesn't want to lose the Serbian, as noted by Dortmund-based writer Stefan Buczko:

Most reports had linked the 27-year-old with Liverpool because of his relationship with Jurgen Klopp, but since the Anfield side signed Steven Caulker on loan, one would think there's no chance of that deal happening now.

Another domino that has to fall in order for Dortmund to loan out Ginter hinges on the health of two players coming back from lengthy injuries: Erik Durm and Nuri Sahin.

If Durm comes back to full fitness during the training camp—he wasn't able to participate in Tuesday's friendly against Eintracht Frankfurt because of neck problems—he'd be another challenger for the starting spot at right-back.

The 23-year-old is his side's most athletic full-back and could help suppress the Black and Yellows' susceptibility to counter-attacks, which we highlighted as Dortmund's biggest weakness.

Sahin seems to be further away from a return to the lineup, with Tuchel saying, per Ruhr Nachrichten's Matthias Dersch (link in German), that the club need to be very patient with him and that it'll take a while until he can be a real part of the team again.

His return will eventually allow Sven Bender to move to centre-back full-time, with Sahin backing up or challenging Julian Weigl in defensive midfield, further burying Ginter down the depth chart at his natural position.

The 2014 FIFA World Cup winner, who'll turn 22 on January 19, joined Dortmund in the summer of 2014 as one of the highest-rated young central defenders in Europe, but he hasn't broken through at that position.

Under Tuchel, he's only played 45 minutes in the heart of defence, and those came in a qualifier for the UEFA Europa League against Odds BK in August.

Still, he's Dortmund's best option to replace Hummels internally in case the captain leaves the club. Ginter is technically sound and well educated from his days in SC Freiburg's academy, where he played a variety of roles from which he benefits to this day. He has good vision, is good in the air and is quicker than Hummels, Bender or Subotic.

Most importantly, he has the potential to be a very good passer in buildup play, which is Hummels' biggest strength. Dortmund should loan him out to a club that guarantees to play Ginter at centre-half. If and when the skipper leaves, an improved Ginter could be a better option than an expensive transfer.

It's unlikely to happen, but the Black and Yellows should at the very least entertain the thought.

Lars Pollmann is a Featured Columnist writing on Borussia Dortmund. He also writes for Yellowwallpod.com. You can follow him on Twitter.