Manchester United announced on Wednesday that it will sign on Japanese midfielder Shinji Kagawa, casting doubt on Korean midfielder Park Ji-sung’s future at Old Trafford.

The Premier League team has agreed to bring in the 23-year-old from German club Borussia Dortmund for a reported initial fee of 12 million pounds ($18.5 million).

The move is expected to threaten Park’s future at Old Trafford, as both play the same position.

Park’s contract ends after the 2012-2013 season and his performance last season sparked rumors that Ferguson might dump the Korean star.

However, their different playing styles might keep Park running on Ferguson’s pitch.

Park has built a strong fan base at Manchester United over the past eight years for his tireless work rate, earning him the nickname “Three-Lung Park.” Park is also known as a “Big-Game Player” for being a clutch member of the team during important matches.

Kagawa on the other hand is a strong traditional midfielder who is as much a scorer as he is a quick passer. During his 2011-2012 season, Kagawa scored 13 goals in 31 games for the Bundesliga club.

Manchester United has received some criticism for the deal, as some fans suspect it is a marketing gimmick to potential supporters in Asia. The club has quickly denied such motives.

“We don’t sign players to sell shirts. We are reliant on 25 players and they are all massive stars,” said the club’s commercial director Richard Arnold on Wednesday.

A survey commissioned by the club found that of the club’s 659 million fans worldwide, almost half are located in Asia.

“When you look at the success we’ve seen in that part of the world (Asia), it isn’t down to any one player or person,” Arnold said.

By Robert Lee (robert@heraldcorp.com)