First major transfer deal

smuckers

Parma's Nakata close to completing Chelsea deal: report

TOKYO, May 31 (AFP) - Japan international Hidetoshi Nakata is to trade in his jersey from Italian Serie A side Parma to sign a contract with English Premiership side Chelsea, a news report said Saturday.

The three-year deal, with an estimated transfer fee of 10 million pounds (16.35 million dollars, 13.89 million euro), will be signed in the next several days, the Tokyo Chunichi Sports newspaper said, citing a source close to Chelsea.

Executives of the club and 26-year-old Nakata already met in London in early May, the source told the newspaper.

Japanese television networks have already begun contacting Chelsea TV, the club's official station, for the rights to broadcast from practice sessions.

Though the English club faces financial difficulties, Chelsea chairman Ken Bates made an executive decision to take Nakata, former AS Roma and Perugia midfielder, the Tokyo Chunichi said.

With hotels and restaurants built next to its stadium, Chelsea wants to make the area a tourist attraction for Japanese, the newspaper said.

The club estimates it can recover the investment in Nakata in three years, the newspaper said.

Nakata's last game with Parma will be a friendly match with Japanese club Cerezo Osaka on June 4, the newspaper said.


what are chelsea fans opinion of this? I honestly think this has to be a wind up.

KdjaCL

That guy is the david Beckham of Asia any side who gets him gets transfer fee back in 3 months on jersey sales and tv rights make him a Profitable player.

Also Chelsea TV would have a major boost in sales.

Good move for any company but i dont think hes that good.

kdjac

mike65

Hmmmmmm, it sounds like a very pragmatic piece of business
and not much to do with football!

Mike.

steveocn300

What about David Beckham? Roma, Inter, Real and Barca all linked with him, will he leave United?

Balfa

I don't think Nakata's been starting that much at Parma at least during the second half of this season.

Mike, Football clubs are companies. Everything's really a business deal

Steve, keep it on topic

Seaneh

Originally posted by mike65
Hmmmmmm, it sounds like a very pragmatic piece of business
and not much to do with football!

Mike.

That is a very unfair statement, Nakata is a great player, he could make it onto the squad of a lot of top clubs, only last season Inter and Real tried to sign him.

KdjaCL

Having seen him play in WC and in italy i would disagree ,hes not that good gets lost in games and needs to be accomadated rather play a position.


kdjac

Seaneh

Last season, and the strat of this season he was amazing.
Last year he draged the rest of the Parma players (kicking and screaming) into the uefa cup.