Borussia Dortmund midfielder Shinji Kagawa is considering leaving the Bundesliga in search of a new challenge in Spain.
The former Manchester United playmaker, 29, has experienced club football in both Germany and England and says he wants to play in La Liga before he retires.
Why does Shinji Kagawa want to leave Dortmund? Five things to know:
- 1. Kagawa managed five goals in 19 top-flight games for Borussia Dortmund last season; only three teammates managed more.
- 2. But he has fallen out of favour this term, in which he has given just two league appearances.
- 3. Lucien Favre, whose Dortmund currently top the Bundesliga, has preferred Marco Reus in the No.10 role, often flanked by youngsters such as Christian Pulisic and Jadon Sancho.
- 4. Kagawa has now said he wants to “resolve” this situation and that a switch to Spain would be his preference.
- 5. The Japanese football icon’s European experience outside Germany came with Manchester United, where he scored six times in 38 Premier League games.
Kagawa has played the majority of his club career in Germany, after his spell with Manchester United didn’t go as well as many expected.
He made 57 appearances during his time at Old Trafford but only managed six goals and eventually moved back to Dortmund.
But with his time at the Westfalenstadion seemingly coming to an end, Kagawa has made clear that he would like to play in La Liga sooner rather than later.
“I am keen to solve the situation I am in now,” Kagawa told Nikkan Sports, according to Football Espana.
“It is probably important for me to change clubs, to put myself into a different place and to set myself a new challenge.
“I am not afraid of going to a new country and I have already done Germany and England, now I am thinking about Spain.
“Spain would be the most important challenge in my career, I cannot retire without going there.”
Kagawa’s La Liga dream: who would take him?
The attacking midfielder has only featured in a handful of games this season, but at 29, he will still feel that he has a lot to offer before the end of his career.
It is unlikely that the big two in La Liga would be willing to take him on, but a move to Atletico Madrid could be an outside, if not too ambitious, shout.
He would also fit in at Sevilla, who are currently top of the league and have made a habit of making shrewd acquisitions in the transfer market in recent years. Valencia, where last season’s top performers have gone off the boil, could also be an attractive destination for the Japan international.
Wherever he goes, Kagawa will be able to offer a wealth of experience and could be a valuable squad member both on and off the pitch. But given his situation at Dortmund, you would expect playing time to be high up on the list of priorities for Kagawa when he is mulling over his next move. To this end, his agent might do well to look at a couple of this season’s surprise packages such as Alaves, who are currently in fourth, Espanyol, one place behind them in fifth. Another high-flyer is Girona, who though in seventh have only scored 16 times this season. There is also Real Betis, where Quique Setien’s Barcelona-slaying style play with an “extraordinary” style Xavi has deemed among the most impressive in Europe.
The post Dortmund outcast Shinji Kagawa pines for La Liga move before retirement appeared first on Squawka News.
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