Juventus Eyes Nakata
Copyright � 1999 Nando Media
Copyright � 1999 Agence France-Presse
MILAN, Italy (October 14, 1999 11:54 a.m. EDT
http://www.sportserver.com) - Juventus wants to sign Perugia's Japanese star Hidetoshi Nakata, the Gazzetta dello Sport reported on Thursday, partly for his skills and partly for his sponsorship potential.
Unknown here before last season, Nakata is now rated as one of the best playmakers in Italian football.
He scored twice on his Serie A debut last year, against the very club now interested in signing him, and has proved his consistency again this season.
However, the former Asian Player of the Year is being sought not only for his vision on the field, but also his lucrative image off it - particularly with Japan preparing to co-host the 2002 World Cup finals.
Juventus are interested in the player and Nakata's Japanese sponsors, along with the Turin club, are equally attracted by the idea of him playing for one of the world's greatest football teams as the finals draw closer.
The Gazzetta claimed that Nakata has already been the subject of transfer talks at Juventus in the past, with the Turin club having had a chance to sign the midfielder two years ago.
The move reportedly failed to materialise as the club felt that Nakata, then only 20, wasn't ready to face the onslaught of the world's toughest football league. "Now the situation has changed a lot," the paper said.
