According to a recent report from CalcioMercato (via The Sun), Everton are one team interested in a January move for Shinji Kagawa. The 29-year-old currently plays his football at German outfit Borussia Dortmund and has done so since 2014, re-joining the Bundesliga club after struggling during a two-year stint at Premier League giants Manchester United.

Yet reports suggest that Marco Silva’s Everton, as well as Manuel Pellegrini’s West Ham, are keen on giving the £9.9 million-rated ace (as per Transfermarkt) another chance in English football, yet a Toffees move for the Japan international would no doubt be a waste of time and money.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, Kagawa returned to Dortmund back in 2014 because he simply couldn’t cut it in the Premier League with United, what with the attacker finishing his time at Old Trafford with just six goals and ten assists to show for his 57 appearances.

Yes, injuries certainly played a part in his struggles, but on the whole the Japanese star didn’t show enough to suggest that he can make the telling difference on a regular basis in English football - what’s to say that, four years later, he could now do that at Everton?

What’s more, Silva’s men already have one of the most effective playmakers in the division in Iceland international Gylfi Sigurdsson, whose form this season, his second at Goodison Park, suggests that first team football would be a tall order for Kagawa were he to move to Merseyside.

29-year-old Sigurdsson has scored five goals and laid on two assists in 11 Premier League appearances for the Toffees to seriously consolidate his position in the number ten role - Kagawa would have to perform at his best to dispose him from the starting eleven.

And while Kagawa has very occasionally played out wide during his two stints at Dortmund, the likes of Richarlison, Theo Walcott, and Bernard represent much better and more effective options in that area of the pitch - thus, it’s difficult to see how Silva can get the 29-year-old into his starting line-up on a regular basis.

And with a lack of first team football likely the reason for Kagawa’s availability come the New Year, the Japanese star will surely be on the lookout for the guarantee of regular game time at his next club - that won’t be the case at Everton.

And with reports suggesting that it could take £12 million to lure Kagawa away from the Bundesliga, Everton’s money would be better spent elsewhere strengthening other areas of the squad in greater need of reinforcements than the attacking midfield ranks.

Thus, while Kagawa certainly deserves credit for getting his career back on track at Dortmund after his tough spell at United, an Everton move for him would be an absolute waste of time and money.

Everton fans… what do you think? Let us know!