• Premier League

Kagawa wants to copy RvP and Rooney

ESPN staff
June 11, 2013

Japan star Shinji Kagawa is hoping to prove himself as good as his Manchester United teammates - Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney - when he take his late season form into the Confederations Cup.

Kagawa made a steady start to his Red Devils career after securing a move from German giants Borussia Dortmund. But a knee injury in a Champions League match put him on the sidelines for two months, halting his early progress.

But the 24-year-old produce a late revival as United secured its 20th domestic title, a hat-trick in the club's 4-0 demolition of Norwich and a goal on the final day of the campaign advertising Kagawa's quality for the Confederations Cup - the warm-up tournament for next year's World Cup.

"I wasn't satisfied with my overall performance but I played well in the second half of the season and started to get more and more confidence," the 24-year-old Kagawa told Sports Illustrated . "Hopefully, I can keep that going at the Confederations Cup.

"In this business, you need to be like (Wayne) Rooney or (Robin) van Persie and prove yourself if you want the ball.

"I want to be a player like them, which means I need results."

And the man who brought Kagawa to England - former United mentor Sir Alex Ferguson - is predicting that Kagawa will take the Premier League by storm next season.

"He missed that period of football in October and November that set him back a bit," Ferguson said. "He is gradually getting his form back but next year he will be far better. You will see a really good player then."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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