.I dont know to what extent we would be able to use hi | Forum

BARCELONA, Spain -- Bayern Munich secured the transfer of midfielder Thiago Alcantara from Barcelona on Sunday, reuniting him with coach Pep Guardiola. Dallas Stars Jerseys . Barcelona said that Bayern had agreed to pay the Spanish club 25 million euros for Thiago. The deal also included an agreement to play a friendly match between the two clubs at some point in the next four years. Bayern said that Thiago would sign a four-year contract and that the cost to the German club would only reach (euro)20 million, with proceeds from the friendly and an agreement by Thiago to forego personal payments making up the difference. Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said the 22-year-old Thiago "was the great wish of our new coach, Pep Guardiola." Rummennigge added that Thiago "is a fantastic player with great prospects who will strengthen Bayern," the Bundesliga and Champions League title holder. Thiago helped Spains under-21 team win the European championship last month, scoring a hat trick in the final against Italy. Born in Italy to Brazilian parents, Thiago came up through Barcelonas training academy and debuted for its first team in 2008. Guardiola made Thiago a fulltime first-team player in 2011-12 and he played in 45 games, but injuries limited him to 36 appearances last season under coach Tito Vilanova as Barcelona won the Spanish league title. Yet despite his displays of playmaking, dribbling and a good shot from distance, he was never able to become a first-choice starter in Barcelonas midfield held down by Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez and Cesc Fabregas. Guardiola said this week that Thiago was a "super player" and that he was urging Bayern to sign him. Thiagos contract with Barcelona had a buyout clause of (euro)90 million, but it included the stipulation that if he played in less than 60 per cent of the games in a season the buyout price would be lowered to just (euro)18 million. Barcelona club president Sandro Rosell said on June 13 that he hoped Thiago would "follow the steps of Xavi (Hernandez), (Andres) Iniesta and the other players who have become references for this club." "I understand that the player wants to play, but even Xavi had to wait. I hope he has the patience that others have shown," he said. However, playing time would have been even harder to come by at Barcelona with the arrival of Neymar, and Thiago had been linked to moves to several clubs including Manchester United. Thiagos transfer to Bayern follows the signing of Germany midfielder Mario Goetze from Borussia Dortmund. Thiagos brother, Rafina, is also under contract with Barcelona and played for its "B-team" in the second division last season. Bobby Smith Jersey . Malkin got tangled up with Detroits Luke Glendening early in the third period and his left skate took the brunt of collision with the boards behind Pittsburghs net. Radek Faksa Stars Jersey . - After leading the Saints to a fourth playoff appearance in five seasons, Drew Brees expressed confidence in the direction of his team and, perhaps more importantly, showed a willingness to listen to contract proposals if the team needs his help getting under the NFLs salary cap. http://www.thedallasstarshockey.com/stephen-johns-hockey-jersey/ .J. Jefferson has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend. CHICAGO -- One little doctors appointment for Kyle Schwarber has turned into an intriguing possibility for the Chicago Cubs.Schwarber is working out in Arizona after major left knee surgery in April, and the Cubs say the injured slugger with the sweet left-handed swing could play when Chicago returns to the World Series for the first time since 1945.The Cubs had ruled Schwarber out for the year after he tore two knee ligaments during an outfield collision. But Schwarbers checkup with Dr. Daniel Cooper on Monday in Dallas cleared the way for the Cubs to take a closer look at the catcher/outfielder in the Arizona Fall League.We got the best possible report. It exceeded any reasonable expectation that we had, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said Saturday before the Cubs beat the Dodgers 5-0 in Game 6 of the NL Championship Series.We basically got the news at six months that we had hoped to get at seven months, which was Dr. Cooper upon examining him cleared him to run the bases. Kyle called me right away and asked for a chance to get ready. The doctors greenlighted him to start hitting.Schwarbers return would be a big boost for Chicago, which will play at Cleveland in Game 1 on Tuesday night. He hit .333 with a franchise-record five homers in nine playoff games last year, including a drive that reached the top of a Wrigley Field videoboard.Schwarber was hitless in his first three at-bats with a walk as the designated hitter Saturday night for the Mesa Solar Sox. He watched the Cubs face the Dodgers on a tablet in the dugout between at-bats.Schwarber could help at designated hitter while the World Series is in Cleveland.Nobody wants to see a guy as important as Schwarber is to this organization go down again, right-hander Jake Arrieta said. But if hes capable, iff hes in a position strength-wise to be able to help us in that situation, obviously that would be huge for our team. Esa Lindell Stars Jersey. .Schwarber was activated from the 60-day disabled list Saturday. Left-hander Giovanni Soto was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.Schwarber tracked 500 balls off a hitting machine on Thursday and Friday before taking at-bats against James Farris, a pitcher in the Arizona Fall League. He also ran the bases on Friday, according to Epstein.Well just continue to evaluate him medically day by day in terms of baseball readiness, Epstein said. We have a lot of business we need to take care of first before theres any relevance to it short term. But long term its a great prognosis for him and were proud of him that hes worked so hard to get to this point.The Cubs selected Schwarber with the fourth overall pick in the 2014 amateur draft out of Indiana University. He rocketed through their system and made his major league debut last June, part of a wave of bright young talent that helped the once-downtrodden franchise blossom into one of baseballs top clubs.The 23-year-old Schwarber hit .246 with 16 homers and 43 RBI in 69 games last year. He stayed around the team even after he got hurt in early April in Arizona, making the most of Wrigleys revamped home clubhouse for his rehab process.He remains a fan favorite, drawing loud cheers every time he is introduced or shown on the videoboard at home.I dont know to what extent we would be able to use him or not, but right now were just trying to explore all the possibilities, manager Joe Maddon said.---Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap ' ' '