Nakata permanent move on hold

Nakata, who joined the Reebok Stadium outfit on a season-long loan from Serie A side Fiorentina last July, was widely expected to sign a more substantial deal when Europe’s transfer window re-opens in January.

However, with the Italians demanding a transfer fee thought to be somewhere in the region of £2.5 million, Bolton boss Sam Allardyce has decided to wait until summer before opening further contract negotiations with the two-time AFC Player of the Year.

“It will be the end of the season when we look at making Nakata more permanent. The key reason is the fee,” explained Allardyce.

“That (fee) will have to be taken out of next season’s budget because the money this year will have to be used to add players in January.”

Having been forced out of Fiorentina’s first team by the club’s influential owner Diego Della Valle following a disastrous derby defeat at the hands of Siena nearly 10 months ago, the former Bellmare Hiratsuka star has quickly established himself as a key figure in a talented Bolton side that occupy seventh spot in the Premiership and are going strong in both the Carling and UEFA Cups.

Despite the frenetic pace and robust nature of England’s elite division, Nakata already has a plethora of impressive displays under his belt – including a Man-of-the-Match award against Portsmouth – and seems on the verge of repeating the success he enjoyed during previous spells with Perugia, Parma, Bologna and Roma where he notably won a league title medal in 2001.