The Kagawa Conundrum – Is Shinji destined to leave United?

Shinji himself also said back in January: “I’m not satisfied what I have done here at all. It is a big and really famous club in the world, but I need to overcome lots of pressures and be mentally stronger. Unfortunately I got injured after a couple of months, but I have to be better and grow as a player and as a person in terms of contributing to team’s wins and succeeding here. We have a really strong squad with many world-class players, so it is lucky for me to have opportunity to train with them and play games with them, but I’m really feeling that I need to perform better.”

Shinji Kagawa needs to step up

There are two specific things that are not Kagawa’s fault. Firstly, his pre-season was ruined by the club. Our pathetic pre-season tours are now more about the Manchester United travelling circus, rather than our players’ fitness levels. Kagawa, with his status as Asia’s highest profile player, was used in the inevitable commercial way that clubs use their stock, and this had a profound impact on him. He was not ready for the start of the season, and in a post-Fergie era, it was all just brushed off as nothing.

Secondly, and maybe more worrying long-term, is the constant rumour of a persistent chronic injury. That immediately makes me think of Owen Hargreaves, but both Giggs and Ferdinand have had chronic injuries, and very much had full careers. It might well explain why Kagawa has never looked 100% sharp in a United shirt, but it is speculation – and should be treated as such.

One thing I am hoping does not come to fruition is that Shinji Kagawa is the modern-day Sebastien Veron. Veron was the best in the world at what he did. He excited me – a player who was from another planet. Sir Alex knew what he was buying when he shelled out on a multi-million pound transfer fee, but he could not find a place for him in the team.

In a way that was a criminal waste of talent, but every manager has a preferred system of tactics, and in Veron’s case, he was never going to play ahead of Keane. Years later, Michael Carrick was bought to fulfill that criteria, to play along side Scholes, and to look after the football from deep, but Michael Carrick is no Veron. The Argentine would have been perfect in the later years of Fergie’s reign, but time robbed us of that scenario.

As long as Rooney is playing like he is, Kagawa will not play as the Number 10. That is a crying shame, but completely understandable. As Keane was to the genius of Veron, David Moyes has no choice but to pick a Wayne Rooney who has burst into life. We would all love to see Kagawa do the things we saw in Germany, to feed Van Persie the way he fed Lewandowski.

However, he needs to fight it out on the left against players who are not in his class bracket – but so far he has failed and he must harbour some of the blame for this. He must prove to Moyes that he is essential, and not just a luxury.

I really hope Shinji comes good for us. Our legacy demands that we have brilliant players who can do the special things in football. But Kagawa needs to buck up his ideas now. We are going into a tough period in our history, with a new manager who needs time and understanding from the fans.

Players like Kagawa need to take their opportunities with ruthless aplomb. They need to show that they are of the desired quality, that they are worth the shirt on their back. Shinji saw on Saturday how it works. If you under-perform, there is always another player willing to jump into your boots, and show he can do it better than you.

I love Shinji, and like Moyes I will give him time. But eventually, time always runs out. This is the hour of Kagawa right now. It is time for him to make the manager see the magic he possesses.