Man Utd mega flop was linked to grownup star when he signed for the Red Devils

Shinji Kagawa was just one of Manchester United’s handful of flops during the post Sir Alex Ferguson era – and he was once linked to an adult star

Shinji Kagawa arrived at Manchester United with quite a bit of intrigue.

The Japanese attacking midfielder had been part of an exciting Borussia Dortmund side that had captivated Europe – and United fans were hoping his talents could wrestle back the Premier League title from their noisy neighbours.

Kagawa, who turns 36 on Monday (March 17), rocked up at Old Trafford in the summer of 2012 – along with reports he was allegedly dating Japanese adult star Ameri Ichinose.

Reports from The Mirror, at the time, state Ichinose is understood to have begun starring in adult films back in 2006 when she was 18-years-old, having previously worked as a glamour model.

She also once joked “the nastier the better,” when asked about her career.

Despite winning the Premier League during his first season in England, Kagawa struggled at United and was blighted by a knee injury during his time at the club.

Overall, he made a total of 57 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring six goals and providing 10 assists for his team-mates.

He was sold back to Dortmund in 2014 for half of what United had paid for him two years earlier and has since embarked on a nomadic career.

Kagawa had spells in Turkey, Spain and Greece before joining Belgian side Sint-Truiden on a free transfer in 2022.

There was time for a homecoming to end his career – and on January 31 2023, Kagawa returned to Japan, joining his boyhood club Cerezo Osaka on a free transfer.

It would be almost three months before he could make his second debut – turning out for the club for the first time in 14 years. And he would score in the 2–1 win against Sagan Tosu, securing the club’s first win of the season.

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