Transfer Rumour Rater: Shinji Kagawa to Monaco in the January Window

It is safe to say that Shinji Kagawa wouldn't have been expecting to be substituted before the hour mark for a team sitting ninth in the Premier League when he joined Manchester United from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2012.

But that's exactly what happened in Wednesday's defeat to Everton.

The Japanese playmaker hasn't often had things his own way since swapping the Bundesliga for the Premier League and, although he has started five of United's last six league games, talk persists that he isn't favoured by under-pressure manager David Moyes.

As United languish in mid-table, Kagawa has been linked with a January move to mega-rich Ligue 1 outfit AS Monaco, according to Mark Brus of Sports Direct News.

The club from the principality are likely to look to add to the star names on their roster in the winter, with Kagawa tipped to join the likes of Radamel Falcao, James Rodriguez and Joao Moutinho.

The midfielder might see such as move as a perfect chance to gain more regular football in a World Cup year, but Moyes is unlikely to let such a fan favourite leave the club cheaply, considering the amount of pressure he's under following a below-par start to the season.

United certainly wouldn't accept anything less than the £17 million they paid Dortmund for Kagawa's services 18 months ago and are almost certain to demand a figure way beyond that should they decide to sell him.

Such a decision would appear unlikely, though.