Kagawa happy to handle Man United pressure
Reuters - Thursday 12 July 2012, 15:25
Japan international Shinji Kagawa backed
his ability to handle the pressures associated with playing for
Manchester United, saying on Thursday his move was the "greatest
challenge" of his career.
The 23-year-old is United's first high-profile signature of
the close-season with his switch from German champions Borussia
Dortmund and the move has generated huge media attention,
especially in his native Japan.
"I'm a member of a great club at Manchester United," Kagawa
told the club's website.
"It's definitely the greatest challenge of my career and I
hope to learn and improve every day.
"I think I can handle the pressure and am pretty confident I
can adapt to the style of the Premier League.
"I definitely feel the attention of the media globally now."
Kagawa made his name at Dortmund as an attacking playmaker
where he made 49 appearances and scored 21 goals in two
glittering seasons that yielded back-to-back Bundesliga titles.
His new manager Sir Alex Ferguson said he expects Kagawa to
adapt quickly to life at the club and predicted his impact would
be felt early on.
"Once he's adapted and gets to know some football phrases
our players will use, he'll be used to that. He can start the
first league game quite easily, I've got no problem with that,"
Feguson said.
"He can give us that extra in the final third of the field.
If his goal-scoring record continues he could be a very good
player for us."
Ferguson did not discount more new faces arriving before
last season's Premier League runners-up begin the new campaign
season against Everton on August 20.
"We could possibly bring one or two more in," he said."
"When there's a major international tournament on, there's a
delay in the transfer market. But now the European Championship
is over, we're trying to bring one more player in."
United begin their pre-season tour on July 15 where they are
scheduled to play matches in South Africa, China, Norway and
Sweden.