From Manchester United to Zaragoza: Shinji Kagawa – the rise and fall of ‘one of the best players in the world’
- Attacking midfielder Kagawa was called one of the best players in the world by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp
- Japanese playmaker now finds himself on the fringes of Spanish second division side
Manchester United beat Norwich City 4-0 at Old Trafford and the attacking midfielder had his best game for the club. United fans looked at him and thought “so this is why you were bought” and the 22-year-old was clearly delighted – but this wasn’t in Manchester on Saturday as United put four past the hapless Canaries, but seven years ago.
That number 26 is still playing, but he’s no longer at United. Shinji Kagawa is 30 and in Spain’s second division with Real Zaragoza. He played on Saturday in their 3-1 away win at a sun-drenched Gimnastic Tarragona in front of 3,400 fans in a cup game.
“We like him here,” says Zaragoza fan Gabriel and his son Gabriel junior nodded in agreement as they sat in a bar outside the away end before the noon kick-off.
But how did a player whose signing so excited United fans end up out of top tier football at a relatively young age?
Kagawa has been unfortunate if nothing else. When he joined United from Borussia Dortmund in 2012, he seemed like the perfect signing. He was young, offered value and had scored and assisted plenty in a top league at a huge club.