So, we discovered yesterday that if Chelsea hadn’t executed an improbable victory against Bayern in the Champions League final, then the disgustingly talented Eden Hazard would surely have been heading for the red side of Manchester. On the transfer, Hazard suggested that City weren’t ever seriously in his thoughts.
“There was a struggle between Chelsea and United but, for me, Chelsea has the best project,” Hazard said. “The team is young and I have a better chance to play there. At 21, Real or Barça would have been more difficult for me. If I play well enough at Chelsea, I could win my place in the starting team. When they won the Champions League, I told myself: ‘Why not Chelsea?'”
This quote also suggests that, whilst United fans are suffering now, it will be Chelsea fans in tears in as little as two years. If Hazard does perform as we all expect then surely he will be headed to one of the Spanish giants before too long.
So perhaps, in the end, the signing of Shinji Kagawa from Dortmund will turn out to be a prudent one. He’s from a country whose population idolises Manchester United and The Premier League. So he is much more likely to stick around at the club in the long term because it is a badge that will always satisfy his dreams. He’s a goal scoring midfielder and, whilst United fans will expect more signings in the summer months, the barometer of opinion suggests that people around the club are very excited by his arrival.
If Shinji can keep up his scoring stats at Manchester United then he will soon become a favourite with the fans. But surely, he alone, is not enough to keep Manchester United on top.
sitesired
Jun 6, 2012 at 10:17 am
I have a great feeling about Shinju Kagawa ,he really seems to tick all the boxes for us . I also feel that we have dodged a bullet with project Hazard .Chelsea a young team ? Did he actually watch Chelsea play from the qualifiers onwards . Still only time will tell . Make us proud Shinju ….
Hamza Bangurabanks
Jun 6, 2012 at 4:15 pm
My brother, read Hazard’s statement good ok. Chelsea is a young team, not the players. The players are very very Old. thanks
Chris Simmo
Jun 6, 2012 at 10:17 am
Desperately trying to take a positive out of a huge negative for Manyoo. Fergie wanted Hazard but was knocked back yet again. Honestly, when was the last time United signed a world class talent ahead of Barca, Real, Citeh or Chelsea? Kagawa, like Hernandez, has loads of potential but is far from the finished article. I imagine that had United offered Hazard the same sort of wages as Chelsea then they’ve got their man but the Glaziers are strangling the club. And you say, ”not enough keep Man United on top” – newsflash, they won NOTHING last season finishing 2nd in the league to Man City, the team you try discrediting by suggesting were never in Hazard’s thoughts
Jude Tule
Jun 6, 2012 at 11:55 am
You re wrong Chris.Two years of playing the likes of champions league finalist;Bayern Munichen and the likes in Germany has certainly given Kagawa the right experience.He came into d Dortmund team and fitted nicely.Not every player needs time to grow,Fabregas grew right in at Arsenal,Messi,Ronaldo and the likes never need time to grow.Like it or not Kagawa is a bargain.For Chicharito,a box to bow striker,he needs those passes at the right time.Shinji Kagawa has proven his midfield abilities.His passing is faultless.Eden Hazard chose money.How much of Europe football has he seen?.He’s still young.Sort of ‘diamond in the dirt’.He allowed Joe Cole to brain wash him with stories about London and Abrahmovic’s love for discarding money to every player he feels money can buy.Let’s watch as the season starts.Then we judge who made the right choice.That sum of money is extravagant for a 21 year old.He can’t even do a Christiano Ronaldo.There’s no doubt Eden Hazard’s a quality.Ronaldinho-like but let’s not forget that world stars have come and gone unoticed at Stamford bridge.
dare
Jun 6, 2012 at 3:40 pm
thank for that comment jude, hazard went for money because chelsea pattern is nt his, but thank god i sign kagawa..we dnt nid world class, when we bring ronaldo,he was just a player and we made him one of the world best today. Thea tre of dream..united will stand.
Ahamsg
Jun 6, 2012 at 4:57 pm
y r u so greedy, is it ur money! Chelsea saw a young talent…purchasd it wit all posibli oppurtunity, man u is richer dn chelsea by record, bt could nt do their best 2 get Eden…pls face ur business.
samuel
Jun 6, 2012 at 9:19 pm
tankz i love ur last statement its true world class players av come nd gone.
Darrel the red
Jun 6, 2012 at 12:02 pm
Utd pulled out over agents fees so Eden BLAGGARD had NO choice but to sign for cheatski…so when people say utd LOST OUT get with reality…if utd had of coffed up the bread he WOULD have signed no question…BULLET DODGED…well done fergie and utd for pulling out of signing the little Belgian slag…SHINJI KAGAWA much better signing for us and time will prove that no question…
Euthyroid Dave
Jun 6, 2012 at 4:26 pm
“Loads of potential but far from the finished article”.. So Hazard is the finished article is he? 2 years younger than Kagawa, rubbish stats at international level and inferior stats to Kagawa in an inferior league. Get a grip you fool, w have been tracking him since before you’d heard of Hazard. Just because the media start touting him as special Football Manager obsessive and Russian pimp Roman has to have him and sod what disgusting commission the agent receives. Out of interest pal, who signed Hazard? Was it your manager? At United (the biggest profit making sports club on earth) we may be in the middle of an era where we’re being shafted by owners but we have a soul and some integrity. We have the better signing trust me.
cleggster
Jun 7, 2012 at 11:57 pm
fookin let the truth be told
vincent
Jun 6, 2012 at 9:20 pm
@Chris Simmo: Oh no man united hasn’t won a thing this year? is there an english team who has who as much as united in the last 5 year they haven’t done worse the played 3 times the final of the champions league. The had a bad season but still finish with as much point as the champions. And if you are a united fan you know united never buy’s for loads of money they buy young and try to have the best collective not the individual counts the team counts. I’m a Belgium united supporter and i’m glad the didn’t sign hazard, he’s a good player but he will be trouble when he has to sit on the bench if only once.
mead
Jun 6, 2012 at 10:57 pm
kagawa will be more effective than hazard next season. he’s much less of a gamble than the signing of hernandez was. the bundesliga is a tough league with strong teams. kagawa and lewandowski bossed it at dortmund last season and they won trophies. kagawa is a class act. hazard is a sideshow. he might have the potential to play like ronaldo but it took a few premiership campaigns and a great manager to get the best from the Portuguese. who’ll be taking john terry’s orders next season? go and whine elsewhere classless blumancs. one title on goal difference and u think u can talk. blackburn bought one too. doesn’t mean much. lets see how many u win over the next 5 years while trying to compete at the top end of europe. haven’t got it in you. players will jump in and out on their way to barca and madrid. enjoy aguero and yaya’s last season. no loyalty from the mercenaries . they’re just there for the oil……..
Lekan
Jun 6, 2012 at 11:46 am
I tink kagawa is more experience and beta dan hazard.his contribution to dortmornt success is fantastic.gud signing Fergie.
Danny
Jun 6, 2012 at 12:02 pm
The arrival of Kagawa will surely lift up the atmostphere at Old Traford, but alone he’s not enough. I know Fergie is a wise man, the whole world has witness that for over 20 years. I think the Glazers are a bit reluctant to spend, slow to act and this results in Man Utd losing in purchasing talented players. With Kagawa Man Utd needs at least three more signings, one more in midfeild, two in defence & one striker. They must spend and act fast.
Dele sanni
Jun 6, 2012 at 12:05 pm
Man u singin kagawa is a big singin 4 we all man u fans n surporters we luv it. Up man u 4 lyf.
Wilfred
Jun 6, 2012 at 12:56 pm
Welcome to Man United Kagawa we support you thru and thru. Guys lets not mind about that brainless Hazard. His decision will hunt him. How can he sign to a club without a manager. He is a fool
Stevo
Jun 6, 2012 at 5:30 pm
2me also,hazard is a fool 2sign a club without a manager.
Ikani Andrew
Jun 6, 2012 at 1:34 pm
Shinji is a great player and his influence will aid Manchester United to more silverwares in season’s to come.Kagawa I want you to know that with United, u’re heading for the summit.CONGRATS!!
Steve
Jun 6, 2012 at 1:37 pm
This is a very strange signing unless there are at least four new signings.He is not your typical midfielder in that he plays very close to the forwards.
Niwa
Jun 6, 2012 at 1:40 pm
Congs 2 manu fns i inclusive, i think we just need two more players that is a holding midfielder and a left back only eg Gaitan-Benfca fc and Baines-Everton fc respectively because Evra seems to be tired of manu fc. wishing you all the best. thanks.
bekki
Jun 6, 2012 at 1:42 pm
all man utd fans let us thinks of better. Kagawa is a better player and know he would make all man utd fans happy, forget about hazard.
IrishRed92
Jun 6, 2012 at 2:12 pm
Truth be told I havnt seen much of either player apart from a few vids on youtube and from what i seen im pretty gutted we didnt splash out on Hazard because he would of been the perfect replacement for Ronaldo. I only thing im worried about Kagawa is his potential.. Like if hes really a quality player then why hasnt Europes biggest clubs tried to sign him. I think United where the only team to show interest! Only time will tell but seriously need a few more players to compete next season. REALLY do “NOT” wanna do a Liverpool and drop to mid-table..
Collintofresh
Jun 6, 2012 at 3:03 pm
Kagawa is gud signing and a player who knows what he want.he will make a big impact in man u squard,he’v come 2 the thetre of dream to achive his dreams.one luv,man u 4rever.
Olaniran Babatunde, Abuja Sky Memorial
Jun 6, 2012 at 3:10 pm
All excuses put up by Hazard are not genuine. Man U team is younger than Chelsea team. He knows if is deeply concerned about playing time, he would have been a United’s player. I think the young man put money above all things. We are waiting patiently to see if his decisions are right.
Javan
Jun 6, 2012 at 3:49 pm
I would say that we have finally bought a player who is comfortable on the ball in tight situations, and someone who can thread balls on the counter!!!…but no we cant stop there!!, definately need another midfielder and for me that should be either Sahin (who also played at Dortmund!) or go and get M´Vila – as good as Modric is he would be soo expensive and for his price tag you could buy Sahin & a left back (which we also need!), and on that subject id say Baiines but again if its rising to 20 mil then NO!…and go for Alba/Alaba, finally I would say James Rodriguez IS the player we should get to “get over” (if you like!) the fact we didnt sign Hazard, good left peg, fast, scores goals and has a few tricks too!!…
Lastly, what would be a significant change in our shape and system that would benefit us AND make us better would be to re-position Valencia and put him as a RB!…and have him operating like Cafu!!, and therefore having Nani infront giving us a greater thrust!!!
De Gea,
Smalling – Rio – Vidic – Baines/Alba/Alaba,
Carrick – Sahin/M´Vila
Valencia – Kagawa – Rodriguez
Rooney
Kazeem
Jun 6, 2012 at 3:55 pm
Welcome kagawa to united all united fans he goog buy for us but we still need centra midfider that can contror ball for the midle let foget hazad come is not come this is good one for us and i wish him d best
Boka
Jun 6, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Welcm 2 utd kagawa pls ferguson go for modric.
Nas nbk
Jun 6, 2012 at 4:18 pm
Kagawa is a gud product, nd am sure he wil mak an impact in d team, bt wat I want is dat fagie should bring a defensiv mildfield 2 suport hm.
Magnificent
Jun 6, 2012 at 4:49 pm
Kagawa is a gud player who can help man utd 2 win more title.guy 4get about hazard he luv money more dan any tin let wait and see wat he will play.once again up man utd and up kagawa
ADENIYI TOBI FRM AKURE
Jun 6, 2012 at 5:33 pm
Congratulations to all man utd accross d world i think d signing of KAGAWA will be the begining of success in our lives and in our club, but all thesame will still need to imlore sir Alex ferguson to sign two more topclass midfielder like MODRIC & ASSAMOAH KWADWO to come and join KAGAWA
once again congratulations.
ADENIYI TOBI FRM AKURE
Jun 6, 2012 at 5:35 pm
Congratulations to all man utd fans accross d world i think d signing of KAGAWA will be the begining of success in our lives and in our club, but all thesame will still need to imlore sir Alex ferguson to sign two more topclass midfielder like MODRIC & ASSAMOAH KWADWO to come and join KAGAWA
once again congratulations.
yisa dave
Jun 6, 2012 at 5:54 pm
As 4 me, kagawa is a gud signin 4 man.utd bt SAF should try nd add moussa dembele,jordi alba
Modric 2 d great squad he alredy has. UNITED4EVA
makama salis
Jun 6, 2012 at 6:46 pm
Kagawa is an excellent signing but, we r forgettn wat our problem realy is… We nid a natural defencive midfielder. A player wit high level of endurance and strenght to support d defence.
bashy
Jun 9, 2012 at 11:49 am
U make a piont. Dat’z gum talk
Cornel
Jun 6, 2012 at 6:48 pm
What do we need hazard for when we have dizasta(nani/kagawa)
Bajo
Jun 6, 2012 at 6:54 pm
Kagawa is signed but Hazard’s name appears more in the article and the comments than the player signed. Truth is ManU fans can never recover from the wound of Hazard’s miss. Pls hail ur Kagawa and leave Hazard alone. He is not ur player but Chelsea’s. He would be competing for seven cups next season( CL, EPL, FA, fifa World club, Super Cup, Charity and Carling) while Kagawa would be competing for four only.
Atem
Jun 6, 2012 at 8:35 pm
guy playing seven without wining atrophic and four wit someting to show for, which one did you prefer.remember no matio to park bus.
Bajo
Jun 6, 2012 at 9:04 pm
And I hope u realize that chelsea just won 2 out 4 while manU won none. Pls surpress ur bile and face the truth. Hazard is a Chelsea player while Kagawa is a ManU player. Very clear definition, isn’t it?
Ash
Jun 7, 2012 at 2:30 am
This is a Manchester united news. So go to your site and comment there. Very clear point. Why are you hear?
hgjhjgj
Jun 7, 2012 at 7:05 am
if ur gonna include the charity shield in that 7 of chelseas them im sure ur forgettin united won the charity shield last year so that would make it 1 cup.. not as smart as u think u r
Jose
Jun 6, 2012 at 7:24 pm
All united fans will soon regret their bad and evil mind toward the poor boy (Hazard)bcos he choose to play 4 chelsea instead of united let him be please at least u av sign kagawa and no body rebuke ur new signin,wat gives u the assurance dat he will perform in united please stop bad mind united fans cus is gonna be bomb in chelsea hazard watch and wait cus HULK too is cumin to chelsea,BLUES 4 GLORY.
Konami stadium majidun lagos
Jun 6, 2012 at 8:14 pm
Chelsea omo iya alaro wy nt mind ur buisness nd get away frm our page or is it bcos red is gd on blue is ur prblm neva wori we wil no who is who.kagawa welcm to d wold of record breakers.,poverty stricking harzad also welcome to d land of unsatisfied people.
Okoro emma
Jun 6, 2012 at 10:15 pm
If na man u sign hazard u no go praise am.bcus na chelsea u get bad mind repent may god 4gv u or u die in sin.
st. Thomax
Jun 6, 2012 at 8:22 pm
Welcome to Kagawa, his signing is another revolution in the history of MAN UTD and football in totality. But we stil need a more creative n strong midfielder then one defender a stricker.
Am really looking forward to singing the glory song this season.
N.B> All united fan should note that its disrespectful to address the term as Man U. Plz its Manchester United, Man UTD, UNITED or RED DEVIL. Its a name used to mock the term my our rivals when we lost our players in munich.
Oskar
Jun 6, 2012 at 8:34 pm
if we get Marek Hamšík we can get 20 PC
Njere Emmanuel jnr alex
Jun 6, 2012 at 8:41 pm
I hope his good ooh.but anywayz welcum home buddie
samuel
Jun 6, 2012 at 9:23 pm
love ur comment too dare its true bt pple dont wanna admit we’ve got strikers dat can wait for kagawa passes wen it comes so i knw we ar gettin dis next EPL title
Bajo
Jun 6, 2012 at 9:40 pm
The article is on ManU and their new signing but lets do statistics: in the article, Chelsea’s name appears 6times, ManU 7, Hazard 4 and Kagawa 2. In the first 3 paragraphs: ManU 3, Chelsea 5, Hazard 4 and Kagawa 0. ManU fans, pls “don’t cry bcos u don’t have what u want”.
Aduba .E. Valentino
Jun 6, 2012 at 10:11 pm
. Shinji Kagawa has 30 appearances and 10 goals for Japan while Eden Hazard has 27 appearances and only two goals.Kagawa (23) is only two years old than Hazard (21) and has achieved similar levels of success in the Bundesliga as Hazard has in Ligue 1. Over the last two seasons Hazard made 100 appearances for Lille and scored 24 goals. Kagawa has made 71 appearances for Dortmund and scored 29 goals. Both are pretty good returns for players who are predominantly midfielders but Kagawa just shades the Belgium in this case
Aduba .E. Valentino
Jun 6, 2012 at 10:14 pm
Who is now a better player,U know chelsea fans runs there mouth like a car without break.Check there statistics and tell me who is better,bunch of fools
Wizzy
Jun 6, 2012 at 10:34 pm
U’ve spoken well jude.u knw der is sumtyn abramovic doesn’t undastnd.i knw sum pple will say its nt manutd businez bt he tinks money is d ans 2 everytyn bt 4gettin d fact dat a wife dat marries u jst bcos of ur money is no wife bt a wife dat choose 2 b wit u jst bcos she loves u will b willin 2 do anytyn 2 gain ur love.hazard was loo 2 d bridge bcos of d money he offered him nt bcos he choose 2 b der,dat will b a problem in d nearest future bt 4 kagawa’s case,he choose 2 b der nd his willin 2 proof himself dat he is also among d world class talented players.even though hazard is a ronaldinho lyk,he will find it hard 2 perform at chelsea cos we’ve seen gr8 playaz cum nd go at d bridge wit worst regret 4 example,luk at d lifes of shenvchenko at milan nd luk at wat he became at chelsea nd so many gr8 playaz lyk dat dat we all knw of.
alukogu obioha
Jun 6, 2012 at 11:37 pm
have watched both players closely and blv kagawa 4 footballing reasons is a better acquisition. Hazard’s comment sounds funny in terms of playing time. Utd offers young growing talents playing time in abundance. As 4 a central role, utd have vacancy in that position compared 2 chelsea with Mata and lampard. Not 4getting ramires, raul meireless etc can play in that position but in utd, they have scholes and cleverley wit scholes retiring @ d end of the year. Hazard went 2 chelsea 4 money reason/greedy agent and as some1 rightly said, chelsea have never nurtured a player 2 super star stardom(mikel obi, kalou) and we ve seen a lot of superstars who failed. Sheva, subotic, pizzaro, kezman, ballack, torres. I ve no doubt dat he will be frustrated out in 2 or 3 seasons. Welcome kagawa 2 man utd.
Aussiehopper
Jun 7, 2012 at 12:21 am
Coming from Hyde greater Manchester, and born before the second World War, many years were spent during
the hard years after the war when everything was on ration supporting the many great teams in English football,
for me and my family it was Manchester United, We who support United have been fortunate to have had a great deal of success over the years, with homegrown players blended with a small number of quality foreign players and
long may it continue, i do not like the fact that the Glazers have bought the club i support that was built up with
hard earned cash that supporters from all clubs could ill afford to support their clubs during the hard times,
Mega rich clubs are sending struggling clubs to the edge of bankrupcy trying to compete on an even keel,
I congratulate United on trying to restrain from paying huge fees to Agents and players whos financial demands
are becoming impossible to support for many clubs in football leagues, which invairiably affect supporters pockets
I have detected what i feel is a feeling of sour grapes of some supporters regarding Eden Hazard,
going to Chelsea, forget it hes gone and good luck to the lad thats his choice, many teams have signed champion players in the past but we have consistently found other alternatives to take us back to the pinicle of
the football. world, i have watched Kagawa recently quite a lot since Uniteds interest in the player, and his ability
to move the ball in tight situations and his awareness of his teamates and his ability to get the ball to them
is unbelievable, i think United have signed a real gem here, and it would appear there was no other team that
this lad wanted to play for, everything we have paid for this lad we will recoup in no time the minute his shirt goes on sale in Japan. after the recent devastations the Japanese nation has suffered i am sure this lad can bring
some pride and pleasure to his long suffering people.
Naston Japhet
Jun 7, 2012 at 12:30 am
Welcome our lovely player SHINJI KAGAWA.We wish all the best at MANCHESTER UNITED.
Naston Japhet
Jun 7, 2012 at 12:33 am
HI TO YOU KAGAWA
adedotun adegoke
Jun 7, 2012 at 1:31 am
How can anybody in his right frame of mind say chelsea has a young team I mean its all bush shit.let him go even with city’s buys we still managed 2 tie until †ђξ last day
Drax
Jun 7, 2012 at 6:05 am
its shinji kagawa 😛 !
donacy
Jun 7, 2012 at 6:53 am
At the initial stage, Man u waz going 4 hazard but wen he opted 4 chelsea they went 2 kagawa………who is now fooling who? All d man u fans plz be realistic 4 once. If man u had signed hazard, Theirs no way SAF would hav stil signed kagawa……rubish man u……….hahahahahahahah…….he gonna be hazardous 2 man u nxt seasom…..lol
Kelvin Riach
Jun 7, 2012 at 7:49 am
Chelsea a young team lol! They’re not called the ‘Pensioners,’ for nothing lol!
michael jordan
Jun 7, 2012 at 9:42 am
blah blah yada yada; Chelsea is here to stay like it or not. And all this talk about ‘failed’ signings at Chelsea, it happens at every club and you know it. Only difference is that whith Chelsea we buy expensive and its highly publicised. If our buy expensive policy was a total failure we’d still be a mid-table team with noChampions league. The truth is all ya are just haters and jelous Chelsea is spoilt by its owner. Suck it up
bashy
Jun 9, 2012 at 12:06 pm
All diz bla bla z nt man utd prblm @ al man utd nid a combatve midfieder nd dat very creative enouch dat cn dstributng passes in midfied lyk paul skool. My regards 2 all Man U fanx!
nizanto
Aug 28, 2012 at 7:38 pm
hazard is far beter than kagawa more physical strenght up chelsea hazard to be the best of all up chelsea up di matto my coch i luv u all watchn hazard and kagawa u will knw dat hazard is more skillful, dribbling speed and passn in midfild in goal assit he d top. So wat els do u need about them