Manchester United Transfer News: What Fans Can Expect from Shinji Kagawa

Manchester United may have missed out on Lille phenom Eden Hazard, but they got one hell of a consolation prize in Borussia Dortmund midfielder Shinji Kagawa.

The 23-year-old Japanese star passed his physical a few days ago and received his UK work permit, making his £17 million transfer complete. He agreed to a four-year contract with United, and since his national team is electing to rest him for their World Cup qualifiers, he will be able to practice with his new club during the London Olympics this summer. 

For those of you unfamiliar with his work, Kagawa is an absolute treat to watch.

He is both style and substance, using his creativity and gorgeous footwork to wreak havoc in opposing back fields. He plays with a crowd-pleasing flair, but gets results at the same time.

He helped lead Dortmund to consecutive Bundesliga titles, scoring 17 goals and dishing out 13 assists in their successful title defense last season. Here's a preview of the skill set he will be bringing to Old Trafford:

As you can see, Kagawa has a brilliant football mind. He is always one step ahead of the defense, and he has the physical abilities to capitalize on his chances. He's a creative and opportunistic passer, and he makes even the most mind-blowing goals seem easy.

He is also a humble and self-motivated young man. United offered him the iconic No. 7 jersey—made famous by George Best, Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo—but Kagawa respectfully declined, saying he wanted to make a name for himself before receiving such an honor.

With his demeanor and style of play, Kagawa is exactly what the Red Devils need. He will provide an immediate boost to their midfield and ignite an attack that was a bit stagnant at times last season.

Of course, he will need some time to adjust to the English Premier League, so fans shouldn't expect him to immediately duplicate his Dortmund statistics. Once he's comfortable with his new teammates, though, the rest of the EPL is in trouble.