Borussia Dortmund midfielder Shinji Kagawa has spoken to Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson and would like to move to the English Premier League club, the Japanese international said on Wednesday.
"It was good to meet and actually talk to him. He had some nice things to say to me," the 23-year-old told reporters.
Kagawa has been widely linked with a seven-million-Pound transfer to the Premier League runners-up by British media, but said he was still
considering his options.
"There's no timetable on my decision. I've been in touch with a number of clubs, and I can't say which one is the best for me yet. But I want to go to a team where it'll be challenging for me. It'd be nice if I end up playing in the Premier League."
Kagawa has enjoyed exceptional two years with the Bundesliga champions, who snapped up the talented youngster from Japanese second division side
Cerezo Osaka in 2010 for only 350,000 Euros. The 23-year-old has one year left on his contract with the two-time Bundesliga champions.
The attacking midfielder's 21 goals in 49 league games over two seasons played a large part in helping Dortmund achieve successive titles.Dortmund had hoped to tie the coveted player to a longer contract, but the Japanese rejected that contract extension offer and is set to move.
"The fans embraced me as if I'd been there for a decade and not just two years," he said of his spell in Germany. "I really felt loved. I was
blessed to have the manager and teammates I did. The coach told me I could come back any time I wanted to."
Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc told German daily Bild on Tuesday that he met the player's agent on Monday and Kagawa "will definitely not
be extending his contract with us." Zorc indicated Dortmund were ready to negotiate "should offers arrive for Kagawa now."
Kagawa had said previously that he would decide on his future after Saturday's German Cup final, where he scored the opener and set up another
in Dortmund's 5-2 thumping of rivals Bayern Munich. Ferguson attended that match in Berlin, what may have been Kagawa's last game for the club.
"It was good to meet and actually talk to him. He had some nice things to say to me," the 23-year-old told reporters. Kagawa has been widely linked with a seven-million-Pound transfer to the Premier League runners-up by British media, but said he was still
considering his options.
"There's no timetable on my decision. I've been in touch with a number of clubs, and I can't say which one is the best for me yet. But I want to go to a team where it'll be challenging for me. It'd be nice if I end up playing in the Premier League."
Kagawa has enjoyed exceptional two years with the Bundesliga champions, who snapped up the talented youngster from Japanese second division side
Cerezo Osaka in 2010 for only 350,000 Euros. The 23-year-old has one year left on his contract with the two-time Bundesliga champions.
The attacking midfielder's 21 goals in 49 league games over two seasons played a large part in helping Dortmund achieve successive titles.Dortmund had hoped to tie the coveted player to a longer contract, but the Japanese rejected that contract extension offer and is set to move.
"The fans embraced me as if I'd been there for a decade and not just two years," he said of his spell in Germany. "I really felt loved. I was
blessed to have the manager and teammates I did. The coach told me I could come back any time I wanted to."
Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc told German daily Bild on Tuesday that he met the player's agent on Monday and Kagawa "will definitely not
be extending his contract with us." Zorc indicated Dortmund were ready to negotiate "should offers arrive for Kagawa now."
Kagawa had said previously that he would decide on his future after Saturday's German Cup final, where he scored the opener and set up another
in Dortmund's 5-2 thumping of rivals Bayern Munich. Ferguson attended that match in Berlin, what may have been Kagawa's last game for the club.
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