Manchester United: Will Ander Herrera Become the Reds' Next Shinji Kagawa?

On July 1, 2012, Manchester United signed Japanese attacking midfielder Shinji Kagawa from Borussia Dortmund. At a fee topping £16 million, via Transfermarkt.com, he was expected to have talent, and quickly became a fan-favorite with his playmaking abilities.

After starting slow under Six Alex Ferguson, and taking a bit of time to adjust to the physicality of English football, Kagawa ended the year well. He finished with six goals and three assists in 17 starts—respectable numbers—and saw himself on the fringes of the starting XI (WhoScored.com).

Kagawa looked poised to improve on his first season, and become a regular starter for Manchester United.

Then, the David Moyes Season happened.

Under the new United manager, United struggled immensely to recreate the free-flowing style of play from the Sir Alex era, and finished in a disappointing seventh place.

On top of his team's poor performance, Kagawa was shunned by Moyes, a manager known to favor physical players with strength and grit—traits not really in Kagawa's repertoire.

Sang Tan/Associated Press

While it isn't uncommon for a new manager to have different opinions about a player that was signed by the previous boss, Kagawa was respected by fans and media as an impressive creative outlet that could've been a part of United's future.

However, Moyes did not see things this way, and he did not play the attacking midfielder in a competitive match until September 17, 2013, exactly a month into the season. Eleven days later, he received his first EPL start against West Bromwich Albion, only to be substituted at halftime.

The 2013/14 season would be Kagawa's last at United, and while his form may not have been great, Kagawa didn't really receive a fair shot. A central attacking midfielder, he was often exiled to the left wing, and started three fewer games in the EPL than he had under Sir Alex.

Moyes' comments in September 2013, (Goal.com), saying the Japanese international needed to "improve" set the writing on the wall for the remainder of his United career, and Kagawa's departure in August 2014 capped off the wasting of great potential and a massive mishandling of a player.

About a month before Kagawa's departure, Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera arrived from Athletic Bilbao.

His United career is beginning to resemble Kagawa's more and more by the day.

Like Kagawa, Herrera was a highly touted talent upon arriving, as United paid a fee around £20 million (Transfermarkt.com) for his services.

Herrera has similarly become a massive favorite of Reds' supporters, showing the ability to be a top-notch midfield engine with contributions on both sides of the pitch.

photo via Manchester United Twitter account

But like Kagawa in his final season, Herrera is simply not getting the chance he deserves at United.

While Moyes' abandonment of Kagawa—a player he didn't sign nor fits the mold of his ideal footballer—wasn't so surprising, Louis Van Gaal's benching of Ander Herrera is bordering on shocking for a few reasons.

First, Herrera was not a player that Van Gaal inherited, but one he signed himself. Clearly he saw ability in him; why has his opinion seemed to change so drastically?

Secondly, Herrera has generally impressed when actually given the chance to play. Per WhoScored.com,  the Spaniard has three goals and three assists apiece in just 12 appearances across all competitions. 

"Perhaps he can't handle England's physical style of play, like Kagawa?"

Actually, Herrera is far more suited for a career in the EPL than Kagawa ever was. Averaging 1.8 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per contest in EPL, he is surprisingly gritty and tough, and by no means a defensive liability.

With Herrera's balanced game, one thing becomes painfully clear about the Spaniard: He is United's only true box-to-box midfielder.

Wayne Rooney looks lost in a central-midfield role, Angel Di Maria's purpose is always to venture forward, and Marouane Fellaini is usually preferred in either a more advanced or defensive role.

Yet, Herrera hasn't started a match since the January 4th FA Cup match vs. Yeovil Town, with his manager instead opting to play Rooney in a role he is utterly uncomfortable, and frankly, incompetent in.

The Dutchman's recent comments, via Goal.com, don't offer a great reason for why Herrera is not playing, and ring eerily similar to David Moyes' comments about Kagawa:

"

I have to compare him with people like Rooney and Mata, for example, so that’s difficult, they are all at a high level - he has to improve.

"

Van Gaal's stubbornness both in tactics and personnel choices have cost United greatly this season, and there is no point in not giving Herrera another run in the side with United's disappointing performances as of late.

From the aforementioned article, Van Gaal also said the following about Herrera:

"

But he’s a great guy, he’s a very great professional also, so that’s not the problem...

"

Herrera, like Kagawa, can only fake a smile and work hard for so long, before becoming another example of a player mishandled at United, and finding another club that appreciates him more.

Hopefully, that narrative will never come to fruition.

Stats and info via ESPNFC, WhoScored.com, Transfermarkt.com