Manchester United On Verge Of Shinji Kagawa Transfer

By Joseph Dempsey / May 30, 2012

Manchester United are on the verge of signing Shinji Kagawa from Borussia Dortmund. Sir Alex Ferguson€™s interest in the Japanese winger has been known for some time - he and assistant Mike Phelan watched him shine against Bayern Munich in Dortmund€™s dismantling of them in the German Cup Final on May 13th. The player even admitted on May 16th that talks with the Old Trafford boss had taken place. Speaking to reporters then, he said:

€œIt was good to meet and actually talk to him (Ferguson). He had some nice things to say to me.€

United made an initial bid of £13.6million last week and it is thought they have now made a fresh offer of £17.6million plus add-ons, and with the player now into the last year of his contract with Dortmund, it looks certain he will move for pastures new. Kagawa€™s demands for wages of £100,000 a week are a reported potential stumbling block, but the reds are confident of agreeing a deal by offering a lucrative commercial agreement that will see the 23-year-old earn money from image rights linked to Far East earnings. Kagawa can play either as a winger or an attacking midfielder. United have been short of creativity in midfield €“ even pulling Paul Scholes out of retirement in January. They also missed out on acquiring sought after Lille midfielder Eden Hazard€™s signature this week after he opted to join rivals Chelsea. Kagawa has scored 17 goals in all competitions this season, helping Dortmund retain the Bundesliga. He has 10 career goals in 30 appearances for Japan.