Nakamura decides to move to Espanyol: report

June 22, 2009

TOKYO (AFP) – Japanese midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura has decided to move to Espanyol from Celtic after talks over a transfer to his former club Yokohama Marinos collapsed, according to Jiji Press.

Officials of the J-League club confirmed the decision after holding talks with Nakamura’s agent on Monday, Jiji Press reported.

Club officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

Nakamura, 31, had initially expressed his readiness to re-sign with the Marinos when his contract with the former Scottish champions expires at the end of this month.

But the talks with Yokohama stalled, with Nakamura’s side reportedly citing the club’s “insincerity” over financial matters and requests for his appearances in club events before he signed a contract.

Yokohama had offered him a two-and-a-half-year deal with an annual wage of 150 million yen (1.6 million dollars), according to Japanese media.

Nakamura’s agent has already informed Espanyol about his intention to move to the Spanish side, which has offered 1.2 million euros a year (1.7 million dollars), Japanese media reported.

Nakamura has spent the past seven seasons in Europe, the first three with Italy’s Reggina. The left-footed deadball specialist helped the Glasgow side win and defend the Scottish Premier League title from 2006 to 2008.

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Nakamura close to signing with Espanyol: report

June 17, 2009

TOKYO (AFP) – Japan and Celtic star Shunsuke Nakamura is on the verge of signing with Espanyol to realise his longtime dream of playing in the Spanish league, according to a press report.

Nakamura’s agent Roberto Tsukuda and Espanyol have “already reached a basic agreement” on the midfielder’s transfer to the Spanish club, the Sports Hochi reported citing an unnamed source involved in the talks under way in Barcelona.

The daily said that Espanyol sporting director Ramon Planes had secretly visited Japan recently and offered Nakamura a two-year deal with an annual pre-tax wage of 200 million yen (2.1 million dollars).

Tsukuda has been talking with Planes and Espanyol executive German de la Cruz four times a day since he arrived in Barcelona late Saturday, Hochi said.

The agent is expected to return to Japan shortly. His Tokyo office, Sport Consulting Japan, refused to comment on the report.

Nakamura, who turns 31 next week, had intially expressed his readiness to re-sign with his former J-League club Yokohama Marinos when his contract with the former Scottish champions expires at the end of this month.

But the talks with Yokohama have stalled with Nakamura’s side reportedly citing the club’s “insincerity” over financial matters and requests for his appearances in club events before he signed a contract.

Yokohama have offered him a two-and-a-half-year deal with an annual wage of 150 million yen, according to Japanese media.

Nakamura has spent the past seven seasons in Europe, the first three with Italy’s Reggina. The left-footed deadball specialist helped the Glasgow side clinch the Scottish Premier League title from 2006 to 2008.

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Nakamura´s Yokohama talks stalled: reports

June 13, 2009

TOKYO (AFP) – Talks over the transfer of Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura to former club Yokohama Marinos have stalled over “unforeseen problems,” press reports said Friday.

The Sports Nippon daily quoted an unidentified party involved in the talks as saying the chances of a deal that would take the player back to his first professional club were “almost gone.”

Spanish league strugglers Espanyol are among overseas clubs reportedly interested in acquiring Nakamura, whose deal with the former Scottish champions is due to expire at the end of this month.

The Daily Sports said Nakamura’s side had been disappointed by Yokohama’s “lack of sincerity” such as a demand for his appearance at a publicity event before he signed a contract.

Nakamura, who turns 31 on June 24, failed to show up for a medical check organised by Yokohama Marinos on Thursday.

“There have been unforeseen problems and that is why discussions are taking longer than first expected,” Yokohama Marinos president Masaharu Saito told reporters Thursday, according to Kyodo News and other media.

“But I believe we will soon get the answer we are hoping for. We have tried to put together the best offer we can and are just waiting for a reply.”

Nakamura has spent the past seven seasons in Europe, the first three with Italy’s Reggina and the rest at Parkhead.

He had expressed a wish to play in Spain but in recent years has stated his desire to return to the J-League, partly to avoid the rigours of travelling long distances for international duty.

Tags: daily sports, Espanyol, Europe, Italy, j league, Japan, Kyodo, kyodo news, long distances, medical check, Nippon, overseas clubs, parkhead, president, professional club, publicity event, reggina, saito, Scottish, scottish champions, seasons in europe, seven seasons, shunsuke nakamura, spanish league, sports nippon, tokyo, unforeseen problems, YOKOHAMA, yokohama marinos

Espanyol join race to sign Nakamura – reports

May 31, 2009

TOKYO (AFP) – Spanish league strugglers Espanyol have joined the race to sign Japan and Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura, media here reported.

There will be no transfer fee required to get Nakamura, who turns 31 in late June, when his contract with Celtic expires next month.

"It is true they (Espanyol) have approached us," Nakamura’s agent Roberto Tsukuda told the Daily Sports newspaper, which also reported that Celtic have formally offered to extend their deal with the left-footed playmaker.

But Nakamura is widely reported to be on the verge of signing with his old J-League home club Yokohama Marinos.

Espanyol have promised Nakamura an annual wage of about 200 million yen (2.1 million dollars), compared with 150 million yen offered by Yokohama, Sports Hochi reported.

Nakamura has spent the past seven seasons in Europe, the first three with Italy’s Reggina and the rest at Parkhead.

There have also been approaches from clubs in England, France and Italy to get Nakamura and he will make a final decision in June, according to the daily Asahi Shimbun.

Tags: 1 million dollars, asahi shimbun, celtic, daily asahi, daily sports, England, Espanyol, final decision, France, Italy, j league, Japan, LA Liga, league home, midfielder, parkhead, playmaker, reggina, Roberto Tsukuda, seasons in europe, seven seasons, shunsuke nakamura, spanish league, sports, sports hochi, tokyo, tsukuda, verge, YOKOHAMA, yokohama marinos

Nakamura non-committal about future

May 26, 2009

TOKYO (AFP) – Japan midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura remained non-committal about his future after his contract with Celtic expired following the club’s failure to win a fourth straight Scottish title.

“I have not decided anything yet,” the 30-year-old told reporters on his return home from Glasgow to help Japan in their last three World Cup qualifers next month.

Celtic drew 0-0 with Hearts at home on Sunday to finish the season second behind rivals Rangers who sealed the title with a 3-0 away win over Dundee United.

Gordon Strachan quit as Celtic manager after the disappointing weekend.

“I will consult many people as there are many things I must care about,” Nakamura said. “I care about my family and, if I play in Europe, whose position I could take over if he moves.”

Nakamura’s old J-League club, Yokohama Marinos, have asked him to come back after seven seasons in Europe, the first three with Italy’s Reggina and the rest at Parkhead.

Nakamura has previously suggested he could return to Japan after his contract with Celtic expired, citing difficulty in travelling back and forth for internatinal duty and the need to educate his children in his homeland.

In Glasgow on Sunday, Nakamura welcomed the offer from Yokohama.

“It’s an honour to receive an offer from any club. It feels even better if it’s from my favorite club,” he was quoted by Kyodo News as saying.

“There are various clubs, so I’ll consider my options before I make a final decision.”

Meanwhile, Nakamura praised the departing Strachan.

“He has been a great manager. He has only called me a genius,” recalled Nakamura, who has helped Celtic to many wins with his precision left-foot kicks.

“He has been strict about the way he used players and given chances to younger talent. He used to be a player himself and I can use what I have learned from him as a player.”

Japan, trailing Australia 13-11 on points in Asian World Cup qualifying Group A, will make the finals in South Africa next year if they beat Uzbekistan in Tashkent on June 6.

Bahrain have seven points and Uzbekistan and Qatar each have four.

Nakamura, who has been hampered by a groin strain this season, said he was ready to give his all in Japan’s remaining qualifiers.

“It won’t be easy to beat Uzbekistan away,” he said at Tokyo’s Narita airport.

“They don’t want to lose at home and they have their pride. I’m not counting the points we need to get through. I want to play my best in all the three matches.”

Nakamura is due to skip Japan’s friendly against Chile in Osaka on Wednesday but is expected to figure in another against Belgium here on Sunday.

In the World Cup qualifying campaign, Japan will also play Qatar at home on June 10 and Australia away on June 17.