Manchester United manager David Moyes has revealed the reasons behind Shinji Kagawa's lack of first-team action this season, stating that the Japanese star's international commitments have hampered his club progress, reports the Daily Express.
The 24-year-old has been restricted to a seven-minute cameo as a substitute in 2013/14, and there is growing pressure for the new Red Devils boss to include the playmaker in his plans.
Moyes has defended his decision to play Kagawa sparingly so far this term, believing that his fitness and form has been hampered by obligations for his national team.
After an underwhelming debut season at Old Trafford, the Asian star was expected to come out all guns blazing in the new campaign, but has far not been afforded an opportunity to prove his worth to a new-look Manchester United side.
His former club Borussia Dortmund even made an enquiry to see about the possibility of bringing Kagawa back to the Bundesliga, which makes his role on the periphery of the squad even more difficult to fathom, after the reigning Premier League champions rejected the German club's advances.
"There are quite a lot of players who have not featured yet," defended Moyes. "But if you look at it most of them were late back from international duty after the Confederations Cup, then they were away for a friendly international and a long-haul flight, then they were away again for another international.
"If you look at the reasons why people haven't played, it is more to do with them not being available for that to happen."
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