MUNICH. Feb 1: Bayern Munich, hit by injuries to key players and the impending departure coach' Giovanni Trappatoni. continued their rebuilding process on Tuesday by clinching a deal to sign German International Thomas Strunz, reports Reuter.

Two days after snapping up Werder Bremens talented Austrian international Andreas Herzog for next season, the reigning German champions said 26-year-old Strunz would return to Bavaria from BFB Stuttgart on July 1.

Both midfielders have agreed three-year contracts.

The club's plans have been hit hard in the last week by a serious Injury to captain Lothar Matthaeus and Trappatoni's announcement that he is to leave the club and return to Italy at the end of the season.

Strunz. who played in Germany’s World Cup campaign last year, played 59 games for Bayern between 1989 and 1992 and was part of their 1990 championship winning team. But he left the club after differences with former coach Erich Ribbeck.

He has largely operated on the right side of midfield in the national team but is currently out of action because of a broken nose and will miss the restart to the Bundesliga ii> mid February after the winter break.

European Champions Cup quarter finalists Bayern needed to secure some topclass players especially in view of the persistent injury problems of French international striker Jean Pierre Papin

Matthaeus future in soccer is also still in doubt Although an operation on his ruptured Achilles tendon last week went well Bayern spokesman Mar kus Hoerwlck confirmed on Tuesday that the 33 year old record German international would almost cenainlv miss the test of the season

He is out of hospital now But he is going to be tn ptas ter for about four weeks and is nnltkeh to play tor four to six months Hoerwick said