LEAD: Schweinsteiger in new injury blow for Bayern; Shaqiri signs

Feb 9, 2012, 10:26 GMT

Munich - Bayern Munich are expected to be without Bastian Schweinsteiger for several weeks after the midfielder was diagnosed Thursday with a torn ankle ligament.

Bayern said the German international will be in plaster for a week and will be fitted with a special shoe afterwards to help build up muscle in the ankle region.

Schweinsteiger will miss the Champions League last-16 match against Basel on February 22 and Germany's friendly international against France in Bremen on February 29.

It is another injury setback for 27-year-old Schweinsteiger who had only just returned from a fractured collarbone suffered in a Champions League match against Napoli on November 2.

Schweinsteiger turned his right ankle as he was tackled early in Wednesday German Cup match at VfB Stuttgart. He limped off, returned briefly but was then substituted in the 17th minute of the game which Bayern won 2-0 to reach the cup semi-finals.

A scan Thursday confirmed a ligament tear, with club doctor Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt saying further examinations were to follow along with a prognosis on when Schweinstieger could expect to return to training.

Bayern meanwhile signed Switzerland midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri on a four-year contract to run from from next season.

Shaqiri, 20, put pen to paper on the deal until 2016 after undergoing the mandatory medical in a move from Swiss side Basel, who are also their round of 16 opponents in the Champions League.

No financial details were given, but news reports estimated the transfer at up to 12 million euros (15.9 million dollars). Kosovo-born Shaqiri, who had a contract until 2014 at Basel, is Munich's first new player for next season.

'We are delighted to have signed one of the most sought talents in European football,' said Munich sports director Christian Nerlinger in the statement.

Coach Jupp Heynckes said: 'Xherdan will strengthen our team with his intelligence and his dribblings. I have watched him for a while and I am convinced that he can become an important player at Bayern.'

Munich decided on getting Shaqiri after Germany midfielder Marco Reus opted to join Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund instead of Munich after the season from Borussia Moenchengladbach.

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