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Shinji Kagawa joins Besiktas on loan

Farewell Shinji and good luck with Besiktas!

Borussia Dortmund v Tottenham Hotspur - UEFA Champions League
DORTMUND, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 21: Shinji Kagawa of Borussia Dortmund reacts during the UEFA Champions League group H match between Borussia Dortmund and Tottenham Hotspur at Signal Iduna Park on November 21, 2017 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

Shinji Kagawa will join Turkish club Besiktas Istanbul on loan until the end of the season. In addition the club will receive an option to buy the Japan international for a reported fee of 1.6€ million.

Kagawa joined Borussia Dortmund in 2010 from Cerezo Osaka and immediately became a fan favorite, many BVB-fans will always remember him for his masterclass performance in a 3:1 victory in the Revierderby in 2010. After two successful seasons in Dortmund he left in 2012 for Manchester United but returned after a disappointing spell at the Premier League club.

In total he appeared in 2016 games for Dortmund, scoring 60 goals and adding 55 assists. With the black and yellows he has won 2 Bundesliga titles and 2 DFB Cups.

Most Dortmund followers will be disappointed to see Shinji leave but he never broke into the rotation with Lucien Favre in charge and a move was the best for all parties involved. Michael Zorc emphasized the special relationship between Kagawa and the club and his desire for a new sporting challenge:

“Shinji is not only an outstanding football player, but also a great friend of our club. We did not want to deny him this request” [...] “So we have a lot of understanding for Shinji’s situation and for his desire to get more work done at another club”

Shinji will be missed but he’ll always be remembered fondly by BVB-fans.