The Japan international is expected by the Bundesliga champions not to sign a contract extension, with the Red Devils ready to pounce by offering him a three-year deal
EXCLUSIVE
By Greg Stobart
Manchester United are lining up a summer bid for Borussia Dortmund star Shinji Kagawa amid reports that the German club are losing hope of keeping the attacking midfielder.
Dortmund president Dr Reinhold Rauball has
admitted that he fears that Kagawa will not sign a contract extension
while United have indicated that they are ready to offer the 23-year-old
a three-year deal worth £95,000-a-week, according to Bild.
Goal.com
understands that Sir Alex Ferguson has a long-standing interest in the
Japan international, who is valued at around £12 million as his existing
contract expires next summer.
United are in the hunt for a
creative midfielder and have added Kagawa - who has been in stunning
form this season and scored 16 goals - to the likes of Luka Modric and
Eden Hazard on their list of potential targets.
The Premier
League leaders are also attracted to the commercial benefits of signing
Kagawa in light of the club’s huge fanbase in the Far East and the
financial success of Ji-Sung Park’s time at the club.
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Kagawa, who has also been linked with Arsenal and Chelsea, is believed
to have been offered £2.4m-a-year to extend his contract until 2016,
doubling his existing salary. However, he could earn four times his
current wages at Old Trafford.
"For me it's still a toss-up, although I have a slight tendency towards skepticism," Rauball told Bild.
Dortmund
hope to extend Kagawa's stay, but have a ready replacement with Marco
Reus joining the club from Borussia Monchengladbach in July.
Kagawa
moved to Dortmund from Cerezo Osaka in 2010 and scored against Gladbach
last week as Jurgen Klopp’s side secured a second successive Bundesliga
title.
