Manchester United misfit Shinji Kagawa could return to old club Borussia Dortmund after 18 months away from the Bundesliga.
The 24-year-old Japan international has played just 30 games for United since moving to Old Trafford in the summer of 2012.
Kagawa recently told The Telegraph that he felt his international form was suffering ahead of the World Cup due to lack of club football.
After representing Japan in friendlies against Serbia and Belarus, he said: “Maybe it’s because I’m not used to being on the pitch of late, but I didn’t feel like I was able to enter these two games properly.
“During tough times like these I have to improve myself. Personally, I felt strongly after these two matches that I need to play more and, as a team, there are many things we need to do.”
Kagawa scored six Premier League in Sir Alex Ferguson’s final season as the Red Devils took the Premier League title.
Successor David Moyes has used him sparingly, however. Kagawa has made just four appearances in all competitions.
Former club Dortmund could offer him a way out of Old Trafford and give Kagawa the regular football he feels he’s been lacking.
Jurgen Klopp lost Mario Gotze to Bavarian rivals Bayern Munich as the German giants paid the attacking midfielder’s release clause of €37 million.
Dortmund moved to replace Gotze with Armenia international Henrikh Mkhitaryan – a player Liverpool targeted. Klopp landed his man for €27.5 million.
Last season’s Bundesliga runners-up also added Gabon forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for an undisclosed fee from Saint-Etienne over the summer.
There may still be room for Kagawa to make a return to Dortmund, however, as he is fondly remembered at the Westfalenstadion.
Winning two Bundesliga titles under Klopp, Kagawa netted 13 goals and laid on nine assists in the 2011-12 campaign, supplementing leading scorer Robert Lewandowski.
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