Shinji Kagawa

Shinji Kagawa (香川 真司, Kagawa Shinji ; born 17 March 1989) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for J1 League club Cerezo Osaka.

He is widely regarded as one of the best Japanese players of all time.

He joined Marino Football Club from 1994 to 1999, Kobe NK Football Club from 1999 to 2001, and FC Miyagi Barcelona in Sendai from 2001 to 2005.

Cerezo Osaka noticed his talent and signed him at the age of 17.

He was the first player in Japan to sign a professional contract before graduating from high school, except players promoted from youth teams of the J.League clubs.

In 2007, he gained a regular position but the club missed promotion to the J.League Division 1.

Since making his senior international debut in May 2008, he has won over 90 caps and scored over 30 goals.

It was in 2009 that he became the top scorer of J.League Division 2 and drew widespread attention.

Kagawa began his professional career in his homeland with Cerezo Osaka before joining Borussia Dortmund in 2010.

After two years with Dortmund, Kagawa signed for Manchester United on a four-year contract.

Two years later, he returned to Dortmund.

Kagawa holds the records for most appearances and goals by a Japanese player in UEFA club competitions.

In the summer of 2010, Kagawa transferred from Cerezo to Borussia Dortmund for €350,000.

The relatively modest cost of the transfer was because of a release clause in Kagawa's contract with Cerezo, which allowed him to leave the club cheaply if he had an opportunity to play in Europe.

On 23 August 2010, he made his debut appearance in the Bundesliga, starting for his new club Dortmund.

After scoring his first two competitive goals for the club in the UEFA Europa League qualifying tie against Qarabağ, he continued this form with his first goal in the Bundesliga match against VfL Wolfsburg, which Dortmund won 2–0.

In the Revierderby against arch-rivals Schalke 04, which Dortmund won 3–1, Kagawa claimed pre-match that he would score two goals; he accomplished the feat, making him a fan favourite in the process.

Kagawa missed half of the Bundesliga season because of an injury he picked up on international duty with Japan, but managed to score eight goals in 18 appearances.

His strong effort in the first half of the season helped his side finish as champions of the Bundesliga, and he was even named in the Bundesliga Best XI.

Kagawa was back in time for the start of the 2011–12 Bundesliga campaign and quickly found his way back into the starting line-up.

Kagawa scored his first goal of the new Bundesliga season on 18 September, coming on in a disappointing 2–1 loss to Hannover 96, as Dortmund gave up two goals in the last three minutes.

On 22 October, Kagawa opened the scoring in the seventh minute as Dortmund crushed 1. FC Köln 5–0 in front of 80,200 home fans at the Signal Iduna Park.

Kagawa scored again on 5 November, as Dortmund brushed aside VfL Wolfsburg 5–1 and moved within two points of league leaders Bayern Munich.

Kagawa scored a late consolation against Arsenal in a 2–1 loss in the group stage of the Champions League.

On 29 November 2012, Kagawa was named Asian Football Confederation International Player of the Year.

Kagawa was born in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture.

He started playing football at the age of five.

On 28 January 2012, Kagawa scored twice in Dortmund's 3–1 win against Hoffenheim.

Kagawa scored the only goal of the game against Werder Bremen on 17 March, heading in a pass from İlkay Gündoğan in the eighth minute.

Kagawa scored two goals in Dortmund's 6–1 thrashing of Cologne on 25 March, keeping Dortmund five points ahead of Bayern in the title race.

Kagawa won the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund in 2012 as they set a Bundesliga record scoring the most points in a season in the Bundesliga, with 81.

Kagawa also scored a goal and provided an assist for Dortmund against rivals Bayern Munich in the 2012 DFB-Pokal Final.

He scored a total of 13 goals and had 8 assists during that season.

On 5 June 2012, Manchester United announced that they had reached an agreement with Borussia Dortmund and Kagawa for his transfer, a deal that made him the first Japanese player to join the club.

The fee was reported to be an initial £12 million, with a further £5 million in possible add-ons.

The transfer was completed on 22 June after Kagawa passed his medical at Manchester United and received his UK work permit.

On 3 July, it was revealed that Kagawa would wear the number 26 shirt for United.

Kagawa spoke about his former club, Borussia Dortmund, saying: "I will carry this club, their great fans, and the whole city in my heart forever and will follow their results with great interest."

On 18 July 2012, Kagawa was handed a two-minute appearance to mark his Manchester United debut in Durban, South Africa, against AmaZulu in a pre-season friendly match.

Kagawa made his first start for the Red Devils against Ajax Cape Town on 21 July 2012, and scored his first goal against Shanghai Shenhua four days later.