Shinji Kagawa to join Manchester United from Borussia Dortmund

Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign Shinji Kagawa from Borussia Dortmund, with the Japanese midfielder expected to complete his move to Old Trafford by the end of June.

The 23-year-old scored 17 goals in 40 appearances for Jürgen Klopp’s side as Dortmund won the Bundesliga title for the second successive season and eased to a 5-2 victory over Bayern Munich in the German Cup final.

A statement on United’s website read: “Manchester United is delighted to announce that it has agreed terms with both Borussia Dortmund and Shinji Kagawa for his transfer to the Club.

“The deal is subject only to the player medical and obtaining a UK work permit. These conditions are anticipated to be completed by the end of June.

“Further details will be announced in due course.”

Kagawa became an integral part of Dortmund’s success and was named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season in 2011 after he was signed from Cerezo Osaka for €350,000 (£284,000) at the start of the campaign.

The midfielder will have an obvious appeal to United in terms of their large fan base in Asia, but the Red Devils commercial director Richard Arnold dismissed talk of Kagawa’s signing being an attempt to boost profits.

“Our popularity in certain countries or regions may depend, at least in part, on fielding certain players from those countries or regions,” Arnold told the BBC.

“We don’t sign players to sell shirts. We are reliant on 25 players and they are all massive stars. We have 25 George Clooneys.

“When you look at the success we’ve seen in that part of the world [Asia], it isn’t down to any one player or person.

“For Manchester United, it’s more than any one player. It was more than George Best, it was more than Bryan Robson, it was more than David Beckham, it was more than Cantona, than Park.”

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