By Tony Attwood
This series of articles is based around players whom the press in Britain suggest Arsenal are interested in, going to sign, about to sign, have signed… It doesn’t mean I know what’s going on behind the scenes. Just an attempt to provide some background and then allow me to say “told you so” if we actually do by pure chance get one right.
So, Arsenal are challenging Manchester United for the signature of Japan midfielder Shinji Kagawa. We’ll do it because a) we already have one Japanese player (Ryo) and two Shinji is in Germany, and we are buying from Germany.
He’s 23, plays for Borussia Dortmund, has one year to go on his contract, wants to leave and will cost £7million.
He has scored nine goals in 29 games for his country, and like Ryo is very popular back home – so that would help the marketing.
Shinji Kagawa played for FC Miyagi Barcelona which is actually in Japan – if you can explain to me why the club has that name I would be grateful. The club are (or were) in the second division.
In 2010, he transferred to Borussia Dortmund for as he triggered a release clause in his contract that allowed him to move if he had a chance to play in Europe, and he made he debut in August for Borussia Dortmund.
He then missed half the season because of an injury on international duty (sound familiar?) but scored eight goals in 18 games and got his league winners medal and a place in the best XI in the league. He scored a late goal against Arsenal in the Champions League defeat.
He played in the under 20s for his country in 2007, and moved into the first team in 2008.
Overall he has played 197 games, scored 85 goals and got 44 assists.
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Other stories on the players of next season…
- Arsenal’s 25 for next season
- This summer’s signings: Adem Ljajić
- Herzlich Wilcommen Lukas Podolski
- Next summer’s transfers: Ntcham
- Mario Götze’s arrival precedes massive clearout
- Javier Martinez
- Why can’t Arsenal buy who they want when they want?
- The summer transfers: Jan Vertonghen
- Olivier Giroud’s transfer could come down to how well his club cope with being top of the league.
- M’Vila
- Who will come back from loan and play for us?
I think he wil add more spices 2 our midfield. Wenger should sign him. Wsh Wenger a successful season nxt yr.
Think about creativity nxt season, Shinji Kagawa can provide it. This lad is too good and if Arsenal sign him, he would be a better signing than Podolski & M’Vila(if we sign him) !!!
Not totally convinced so far by asian players in the epl. obviously park at man united has been the best so far but hardly a first team starter when push comes to.shove. i have.nothong against keep trying to find one and as asians go this lad is a big as any but so far inamato ryo and ch young park have failed to convince me at arsenal. is he going to dislodge rosicky? or a fit diaby? i doubt it. is he better than ramsey lansbury possibly.
Has good speed and good technique; will be playing in the mid field where such can be an advantage (see Modric and Silva). But will have to adapt to the physical game of EPL. He will bring competition to the mid field where we need more contribution to total goals scored in the coming seasons. Good Wenger type price on him. However, if he already has an option to join ManU, I am not sure he will not choose ManU over Arsenal.
i would hope he would be got as a replacement for thomas in a season’s time(perhaps 2 Rosicky has been doing well) till then play a few cc games and fill in for injuries. And gradually introduce him into the EPL e.i say 15 mins at stoke and the likes.
Thomas rosicky is starting to get on a bit now is he 30 yet ?
From what I gather its already pretty sure hes going to united unfortunately 🙁 but we’ll see.. We’ve got plenty of attacking options anyway atm: V. Persie, Gervinho, Podolski, Walcott, AOC, Rosicky, Diaby, Wilshere and then aswell Miyaichi, Park?, Chamakh?, Bendtner?, Vela?, Campbell, Arshavin?. So unless we sell some of the ? then I can’t see anyone coming. To AW to figure it out 😉
Le Boss has stated incoming deals unlikely, what they have to do is get rid of some of the fringe unused players to lower the wage bill to free up money (Van Persie wage hike ) and get some of the walking wounded back on the pitch, Diaby Wiltshire Frimpong don”t hold your breathe.
in my opinion watching borissia this guy is better than gotze, i cant believe he is only worth 7m????
AW spoke of “trimming” the squad. Please can we have an article (and maybe a poll) on those likely to be pruned off?
Hadn’t heard much of Shinji until the recent transfer speculation, but he sounds like a fantastic player.
Lanz – that sounds like a good article, I was planning on putting something together in a couple of weeks once my finals are over with.
Fergie is at the german cup final tonight taking a look at Kagawa.Looks like he is United bound unless they get gazumped by one of the euro sugardaddies.Don’t think hes a big enough name for the likes of City,PSG,Malaga etc.Good player though.
If he goes to EPL, I want him at Arsenal, commercial reason, Japan is big market.
He can scores goals, something that we need from midfield.
Last night at German Cup final, Gotze on the bench and Shinji starts, so?
Imagine if we play Podolski, RVP, Shinji and Theo on the front?
Sounds like a “proven star” despite younger age (err, AAAs?) 😉 Yeah, and good price.
I would love to add more Asian players, especially Japanese ones, into our team, not just because I am Asian myself, but because they always work very hard for the team and usually are humble. And of course it is good for marketing, the Club is obviously aiming for the Asian market recently.
I think this is more Kagawa’s agent drumming up a higher transfer fee for his client. We already have Rosicky and Rambo in the attacking midfield position, plus Wilshere can play there when he is 100%. Not saying he won’t help our team – just not certain that Wenger will buy Kagawa when he already has players who can play the same position.
@Lanz, in terms of “trimming”, I think it is safe to say Bendtner won’t be back. Uncertain about Denilson although he has not extended his loan in Brazil – I really don’t see a place for him next season in the first XI. Then there are Arshavin, Chamakh, Squillaci, Almunia and possibly Park.
@Wooby: Agree about the players who are going out, and I can add Vela. God d*mn it, he always becomes my main striker after 1 or 2 seasons in every football manager games that I have played! Maybe Chamakh will leave too. Remeber his picture has been chosen for the article about “trimming the team” on Arsenal.com? But I admit that I want we to keep Bendtner or Chamakh, one taller striker who is good with headers, just in case. Or we could buy Klose of course 😉
I think Park will be given more chances in pre-season games and we will see. I just hope that he won’t become a totally failure transfer of us.