TOKYO: Japan and Borussia Dortmund star Shinji Kagawa is back on Manchester United’s radar after returning from a four-month layoff with a foot injury, a report said yesterday.
Alex Ferguson’s side are planning to send a team of scouts to follow the 22-year-old attacking midfielder at Dortmund games next season, the Japanese daily Nikkan Sports said.
“His goal of joining a big club may be realised within this year at the earliest,” the daily said.
Wanted: Manchester United are reported to be checking out Borussia Dortmund’s attacking midfielder Shinji Kagawa while Arsenal’s Samir Nasri (inset) has opened the door to joining the Premier League champions.
Kagawa, who scored eight goals in 17 Bundesliga games after moving from J-League side Cerezo Osaka at the start of last season but broke his right foot in January, is keen to play for the English Premier League champions.
“If I get a formal offer, I’ll be strongly interested in listening to what they have to say,” Kagawa was quoted as saying by an associate, according to the Nikkan Sports.
“The Premiership is one of the leagues I want to challenge,” said Kagawa, who once targeted Barcelona as his final destination. “If it is Manchester United, I’ll be still more eager to go and try how much I can do there.”
Manchester United first showed an interest in Kagawa late last year but backed off after he suffered the injury in Japan’s Asian Cup semi-final win over South Korea in January, the daily said.
The Blue Samurai went on to lift a record fourth continental title in his absence.
At that time, Spanish clubs Villarreal and Atletico Madrid as well as Juventus and Tottenham were also reported to be interested in him.
British radio station talkSport reported that Manchester United had been quoted a price of £20mil (‚24mil) for Kagawa.
After seeing Dortmund lift the Bundesliga shield from the bench, he came back onto the pitch to play the last three minutes of their final league game of the season, a 3-1 home win over Eintracht Frankfurt.
Manchester United scouts watched him at the match, the Nikkan Sports said.
Meanwhile, Ferguson has been told he will need to find in excess of £20mil to sign Tottenham star Luka Modric.
The Manchester United boss is a big fan of the Croatian playmaker, 25, who he sees as the ideal replacement for the retired Paul Scholes.
And he now plans to test Tottenham’s resolve.
Spurs do not want to sell Modric but a top White Hart Lane source says a deal will be inevitable.
He said: “The word is that Sir Alex has already spoken directly to Harry and said how much he admires Modric and how much he wants him.
“And as much as Harry wants to keep him he knows United can make an offer we just can’t refuse.
“So Harry’s busy now trying to do the Joe Cole (of Liverpool) deal to bring in a new playmaker to compensate for the expected departure of Luka.”
Another player looking to join the Red Devils is Samir Nasri, who has opened the door on a move to Arsenal’s bitter rivals.
The midfield ace wants to know if he is on the champs’ shopping list.
He said: “I don’t know if I will sign a new contract with Arsenal.
“Discussions are ongoing and we’ll talk about it this week.
“Do I want to go to United? First, we must see if it’s real.”
Nasri, 23, has a £25mil price tag and is in the final year of his Arsenal deal.
But boss Arsene Wenger insisted: “What is certain is we won’t be selling Nasri to Manchester United.” — Agencies
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