Emotional contribution: Kagawa returns to BVB

Shinji Kagawa has said goodbye to his lending club Besiktas Istanbul with an open letter and announced his return to Dortmund. “Dear Besiktas fans, thank you for your support,” the Japanese wrote on Instagram, “it’s a pity we missed the title and that I couldn’t help the team as much as I wanted.”

Kagawa had been lent to Besiktas by Borussia Dortmund for the second half of the season after he had hardly been used under coach Lucien Favre. With the Black Eagles he missed the Turkish Championship by four points.

Lucien Favre is not planning the new season with Kagawa, whose contract runs until 2020, according to the Ruhr news. The 30-year-old, who twice won the championship and the cup with BVB, will have to look around for a new challenge again. West Ham United and FC Everton are considered interested parties.

Kagawa played 14 league games on the Bosporus, scoring four goals and two more.