Rumour: Shinji Kagawa offered back to Borussia Dortmund in swap deal for Ilkay Gundogan and Marco Reus

Manchester United’s summer transfer plans have received a boost with the news that Borussia Dortmund are interested in re-signing United’s midfield misfit Shinji Kagawa.

Manchester United manager David Moyes has identified two of the German side’s midfield players, Ilkay Gundogan and Marco Reus, as targets for moves to Old Trafford and is likely to use Kagawa as a makeweight in any dealings with Dortmund, according to The Mirror.

United’s well documented midfield problems have been a large factor behind their poor form this season. Moyes is expected to embark upon a spending spree in the summer, with midfield players at the top of his list. Gundogan and Reus are both interesting last season’s champions, and dealings with Dortmund could be made easier by using Kagawa as a sweetener.

The Japan international left Dortmund for United in a 2012 move that was worth an initial £12 million. However he has struggled to nail down a place in United’s starting eleven and has been restricted to a peripheral role under both Moyes and his predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson.

Kagawa has made just nine league appearances this season and has not featured in any of United’s last five games. The departure of Ferguson has initially appeared to help Kagawa’s case, but Moyes has continued to ignore the 24 year old, or to select him out of position, and a return to Dortmund would make sense for all parties.