Manchester United are being linked with a bid for Borussia Dortmund star Shinji Kagawa.

The Japan international has been a long-term target for United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Itasportpress.it says interested Serie A giants AC Milan and Juventus have been informed by intermediaries that United are set to table a bid of €17 million for the 22 year-old in January.

Kagawa is inside the final two years of his current deal.

He said at the end of last season: "If I get a formal offer, I'll be strongly interested in listening to what they have to say.

"The Premiership is one of the leagues I want to challenge. If it is (United), I'll be still more eager to go and try and see how much I can do there."