Shinji Kagawa, who didn't get a chance in Greece, whether the next stop was the J-League

The second season for Thessaloniki PAOK in the Greek Premier League has just begun, and Shinji Kagawa is already facing a test.

Although Kagawa started in the season opener with Chianina on September 13, Kagawa was excluded from the list in the first round of the European Association League match with the Lincoln Red Devils (Gibraltar Super League team) on the 17th and the second round of the Greek Super League match with Tripolis in the early morning of the 20th.

Unable to be named in the tournament squad, the Greek media noted: "Kagawa's journey in Greece is over and now he has become a burden on the team. Shinji Kagawa is reportedly no longer in the squad's plans and will be looking for a new home in the next January transfer window.

Local media poisonous comments: Kagawa is finished

It has been eight months since Kagawa joined PAOK with great hope at the end of January. The situation around Kagawa, who could not leave a bright performance on the field, underwent a 180-degree change.

In the opening match for Chianina at home to Pa'oque Stadium, Kagawa started as a midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 formation. But after a misstep shot on a decisive chance, he was substituted in the 16th minute of the second half. In the end, PAOK also lost 0-1 to Chiana, who finished ninth last season.

In the opening match of the European Association League, which began this year, the PAOK squad to Gibraltar did not have Kagawa's name on the away side, and he did not even get the opportunity to sit on the bench in the second round of the Greek Super League, which won 1-0 against Tripolis.

Unable to enter the big list without being injured, the Greek media "Sportime" published an article entitled "Kagawa is over" on the 20th. The article scathingly states: "He didn't bring what PAOK expected and now he has become a burden on the team."

If you look back at Kagawa's trajectory after joining PAOK, you will understand why he has performed so badly.

In the 2020-21 Premier League season, which joined halfway, including a start, he played only 5 games and played only 139 minutes. The top 6 regular season fixtures, contested by 14 clubs, decided the final ranking of the championship group stage, and due to injury, he failed to play once in 10 games, thus ending his first season in Greece.

PAOK itself has moved from fourth place in the season to second place in the title-contending group. However, they still trail Olympiacos by 26 points, who set a record of 46 titles.

This season has been questioned. Kagawa wrote in English on his Twitter feed: "Although the training camp is very hard, I am ready." He was given consecutive appearances in practice matches and European Association League qualifiers during training in the Netherlands.

He also scored his first penalty since the transfer of PAOK in his last game before the start of the season, in a practice match against Greek secondary league side Veria on 5 September, which was also his first goal for the team (an unofficial goal).

Influenced by a series of influences, Romanian coach Razwan Lucescu was in charge of PAOK again in two years, and he decided to send Kagawa to start the season opener.

However, as previously reported by Sportime, Kagawa was excluded from the team's plans by the coach after a disappointing start to the season. The report also pointed out the reason behind Kagawa's high expectations for joining PAOK: in order to "open up the Japanese market".

Judging by the circumstances of the previous season, the opener against Chianina may be his last chance. So, now that Kagawa has lost his place in the team, what does his future hold?

His contract with PAOK is valid until the end of June 2022, meaning he will have to wait until the transfer window opens next January before he can terminate his contract to become a free agent. Kagawa himself continues to make playing in Europe his primary goal.

Last summer, Kagawa's second season in La Liga, he was actually outside zaragoza's plans. Kagawa later turned down an invitation from Sakura Osaka, the beginning of his career, and he later explained why on his own Twitter.

"Although there are various reports, I still have things to do in Europe, so I declined (referring to the rejection of Sakura Osaka's invitation). Hopefully, in the coming weeks, I'll be able to make my own decisions in Europe. ”

After that, Kagawa, who agreed to terminate his contract with Zaragoza and become a free agent, did what he said, choosing Greek side PAOK to continue his European career.

Sakura Osaka sent invitations to some celebrities who had already moved to other clubs, including overseas, at the right time in the hope that they would return.

In February 2017, Hiroshi Kiyotake returned from Seville, and in January this year, Okubo Yoshitoshi returned from J2 club Tokyo Greenery. At the end of August this year, the qiangui who had not left home since Eibar left the team also returned.

Akiichiro Kakitani, who has played for The Whales of Nagoya since the season, was also the first player to return to Sakura Osaka from overseas, returning to Sakura Osaka from Basel in January 2016, and Kakitani's "No. 8" is still empty.

"Number 8" is also the number that Kagawa used to wear in Osaka sakura before moving to Dortmund in 2010. However, despite the examples of so many European players returning to the J-League, such as Takashi Kan, Yuto Nagatomo (Tokyo FC), Isamu Ōki (Kobe Victory Ship), Yoshiki Muto (Kobe Victory Ship) and Hiroki Sakai (Urawa Red Diamonds), Kagawa, who received an invitation from Sakura Osaka, chose to stay in Europe.

In his fifth season at Borussia Dortmund after leaving Premier League giants Manchester United, he moved to Besiktas, Turkey, on loan in the summer of 2019 in search of more opportunities to play. Kagawa, who was drafted by Moriho's Japanese team, said the 30-year-old had received harsh criticism for his physical confrontation in particular, and he had left behind such words.

"If you can't accept the trouble that [age] brings, or if you have the idea of 'Am I already not okay' because you are worried about this, you cannot survive."

His previous tweet: "There is still something to do in Europe" reflects his attitude. Joining Zaragoza with a year left on his contract with Borussia Dortmund and then joining PAOK after about 4 months without the ball, Kagawa overcame difficulties and persevered with the process of waiting for the results to emerge, in a sense, a challenge that also reflects his stubborn character.

Shinji Kagawa's goal is to continue playing in Europe, first of all by trying to regain Lucescu's trust. If things don't get better, he will also continue to look for new stages in Europe, rather than choosing to go to major leagues, the well-paid Middle East, and J-League teams including old club Sakura Osaka.

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