Clinching Shinji Kagawa deal could prove to be another Marcel Brands masterstroke

According to a recent report from Calciomercato, Everton are one side interested in attacker Shinji Kagawa. The Japan international currently plays his football at German outfit Borussia Dortmund and has done so since leaving Manchester United back in 2014, but appears to have fallen down the pecking order at the Bundesliga club to call into question his future.

And reports suggest that Marco Silva’s Everton are one team, along with Manuel Pellegrini’s West Ham, who are keen on the 29-year-old, and with it reported that £12 million might be enough to secure his signature, clinching a deal for the midfielder could prove to be another Marcel Brands masterstroke.

Ultimately, director of football Brands took over at Goodison Park back in March of this year to replace Steve Walsh in the role, and presided over what many deemed to be a hugely successful transfer window for the Toffees during the summer.

The likes of Andre Gomes and Yerry Mina were convinced to leave Barcelona for Everton while Bernard and Kurt Zouma also made the move to Goodison Park, let alone the big money deal for Richarlison which is looking more and more like an outstanding addition.

And with Zouma having impressed on loan from Chelsea and Gomes beginning to make his mark in the midfield, it’s clear that Brands pulled off a few masterstrokes during the summer – and clinching a £12 million deal for Kagawa could be another to add to his ever-growing collection.

The 29-year-old may have struggled during his time at United between 2012 and 2014, which is sure to be of concern to some Everton fans, but he has since proven his worth in Germany upon return to Dortmund, netting 31 goals and laying on 39 assists in the last four years or so.

In fact, the Japanese star has returned to the player United thought they were going to sign from Dortmund first time round to suggest that he has rediscovered his confidence after a troubling time at Old Trafford – his time in England, no matter how tough, may have done him good.

And while Everton are reasonably well-stocked in the attacking ranks at present, having someone like Kagawa in the squad can only be of benefit to manager Silva as the season wears on.

Gylfi Sigurdsson has slowly but surely found his best form in an Everton shirt this season to suggest that he is the number one choice in the number ten role, but having someone as talented as Kagawa just behind in the pecking order will surely push the Iceland international to be even better, as failure to do so could lose him his place in the starting eleven.

And for a reported £12 million, given just how good Kagawa can be and has proved to be in times gone by, it could prove to be an absolute bargain, and thus a transfer masterstroke just waiting to be sealed.