Schalke to sign shot-stopper Hildebrand
Brief news from the Bundesliga ahead of this weekend's matches:
Schalke 04 have signed former Germany goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand until the end of the season after first-choice Ralf Fahrmann was ruled out for several months with torn ankle ligaments, the club said on Friday.
Hildebrand, once seen as a successor to Oliver Kahn and Jens Lehmann in the national team, is a free agent after his contract with Sporting Lisbon ended at the conclusion of last season.
The 32-year-old has won seven caps and has also played for VfB Stuttgart, Valencia and Hoffenheim.
Bayer Leverkusen left-back Michal Kadlec has extended his contract by two years and will now stay with the club until 2015, last season's runners-up said on Friday.
The 26-year-old Czech international, who joined in 2008, set up Leverkusen's first goal in the 2-1 comeback win over Valencia in the Champions League on Wednesday.
"I have become a starting player here and have developed," Kadlec said in a statement.
Hoffenheim keeper Tom Starke will miss Saturday's home game against Borussia Monchengladbach after suffering concussion in training.
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Starke was hit on the head by a shot from defender Andreas Beck and will be out for several days, the club said.
Hoffenheim are in ninth place, nine points behind leaders Bayern Munich.