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Dortmund preparing for return of United misfit Kagawa

ESPN staff
August 30, 2014
Can Kagawa regain his form at Dortmund?

Borussia Dortmund are closing in on sealing the return of "prodigal son" Shinji Kagawa, as supporters camp outside the hospital where the Manchester United midfielder is expected to undergo his medical.

Speculation of a possible move for Kagawa back to his former club gathered pace when kicker reported the German side's interest in the player.

Local media are now claiming that Dortmund and Kagawa - who appears to have become surplus to requirements under Louis van Gaal - have agreed on personal terms, and it is now up to the two clubs to negotiate a deal for the Japan international.

According to Ruhr Nachrichten, Dortmund want to pay much less than the £12 million that United spent on Kagawa in 2012, when Sir Alex Ferguson flew to Berlin to witness the midfielder's last outing as a BVB player in the German Cup final defeat of Bayern Munich.

On Friday, Kagawa's agent Thomas Kroth, a former Dortmund player, was pictured entering the BVB offices by Bild, while Ruhr Nachrichten reported that the "prodigal son" was close to returning home.

Kagawa first joined Dortmund for a reported €300,000 from Cerezo Osaka in 2010 and made an immediate impact, inspiring the side to a 4-1 victory away at rivals Schalke that September. Upon returning from Gelsenkirchen, close to a thousand fans awaited the team and carried Shinji Kagawa on their shoulders.

On Thursday, Dortmund supporters were camping outside the Knappschaftskrankenhaus hospital, where Kagawa is expected to undergo his medical before putting pen to paper on his new contract.

"We got here on Thursday afternoon to wait for Shinji," Dortmund fan Markus Wigbels told ESPN FC. "We just want to see Shinji, and give him the welcome he deserves.

"He stands for Borussia Dortmund's great years, and I believe that he'll be happier here than at United, even though I am not sure if he can instantly help us."

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