Japan international Shinji Kagawa revealed on Wednesday he had met Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, as rumors swirl that the Borussia Dortmund star is eyeing a move to the Premier League.

The midfielder said the Scot, one of soccer's most successful managers, had "good words" to say about him during two hours of talks in Manchester this week.

Kagawa, who still has a year to run on his contract with the German champion and has stalled over signing an extension with the club, said he wanted to "think hard" before deciding where his future lay.

"It was good that I was able to meet him in person and talk," Kagawa said on his return ahead of Japan's friendly against Azerbaijan.

Ferguson "had some good words," the player added when asked by journalists at Tokyo's Haneda Airport about the meeting, without disclosing what they discussed.

The 23-year-old scored 17 goals this season in all competitions to help Dortmund secure a second consecutive Bundesliga title and win the domestic double for the first time in its 103-year history.

He has made no secret of his desire to move to England with United tipped as the front-runner to sign him.

Ferguson watched Kagawa score in Dortmund's 5-2 German Cup final win over Bayern Munich at Berlin's Olympic Stadium on Saturday.

"I want to think hard before making my decision," Kagawa said, adding several other Premier League clubs had also expressed interest in him.

"I want to choose a team where I can take on challenges," he said.

(China Daily 05/17/2012 page22)