Everton, Bournemouth and Fulham are among the clubs monitoring Japan winger Nakamura, with the 26-year-old available for around £21.5m after Stade Reims failed to win promotion to Ligue 1 last season. An agreement is in place with the French club that would allow him to leave for a suitable fee, and all three Premier League sides have made initial enquiries with his entourage.
Both Everton and Bournemouth would need to move on attacking players before formalising their interest, while Fulham — who look likely to appoint Alvaro Arbeloa as their new manager — are also keen on the forward. Nakamura stayed in the French second tier last season despite interest from Villarreal and Besiktas, with offers reaching up to £15.5m. He finished as Reims’ top scorer with 14 goals before the club were relegated, having previously scored 11 goals in 32 Ligue 1 appearances during the 2024-25 campaign.
His stock rose sharply at the World Cup, where he stepped in as Japan’s first-choice left winger after Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma was ruled out with a hamstring injury. Nakamura scored one goal, provided an assist and was named in Opta’s team of the group stage. Japan pushed Brazil in their last-32 match before the five-time champions scored a late winner to eliminate the Samurai Blue.
Japanese football journalist Tasuku Okawa told BBC Sport: “Due to Stade de Reims’ relegation, he currently finds himself playing in the French second division, but the quality he is showing on the world stage proves he belongs at the highest level. He has turned his transfer frustration into motivation. His performances were not only enough to offset Mitoma’s absence but became central to Japan’s campaign.”
Nakamura began his career in the academy at Gamba Osaka before moving to Europe at 18, with loan spells at FC Twente, Sint-Truiden and Juniors OO, followed by a permanent move to LASK Linz before joining Reims in 2023. He has scored 11 goals in 29 appearances for Japan, including six in his first six international matches. Journalist Choco Sasaki-Burns noted that his profile extends beyond the pitch, adding: “Not since Hidetoshi Nakata has Japan produced a player with the potential to make a global impact in both football and fashion.”
Image credit: BBC Sport / BBC Sport
