Espanyol coach Pochettino willing to release Nakamura for J-League move
Espanyol coach Mauricio Pochettino is ready to allow Shunsuke Nakamura to move back home to Japan.
The Japanese star left Celtic last summer and signed a two-year deal with Espanyol.
But things have not gone according to plan in Barcelona, and he is now set to leave.
The 31-year-old was the subject of a bid from Middlesbrough in January, but he shunned a chance to link-up with Gordon Strachan again.
Now reports suggest that he will move back to his native Japan on loan in time for the start of the J-League season in March.
"Nakamura is a big player, but his problem has been adapting to Spain," said Pochettino.
"Then he can also not communicate with his team-mates and because of this it has been hard for him to offer good performances."
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Results & Fixtures
Matches
| Home | Away | Score | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri May 25th | |||
| Gamba Osaka | Sagan Tosu | 2 - 3 | 10:00 |
| Nagoya Grampus | Cerezo Osaka | - 1 | 10:30 |
| Sat May 26th | |||
| Shimizu S-Pulse | Yokohama F. Marinos | 05:00 | |
| Consadole Sapporo | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 1 - 3 | 05:00 |
| Kawasaki Frontale | Vegalta Sendai | 3 - 2 | 05:00 |
| Júbilo Iwata | Omiya Ardija | 07:00 | |
| Vissel Kobe | Kashima Antlers | 1 - 2 | 08:00 |
| Kashiwa Reysol | Albirex Niigata | 09:30 | |
| Tokyo | Urawa Reds | 1 - 1 | 10:00 |
Tables
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegalta Sendai | 13 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 27 |
| Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 13 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 25 |
| Jubilo Iwata | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 24 |
| Shimizu S-Pulse | 13 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 23 |
| Urawa Reds | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 22 |
| Tokyo | 12 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 22 |
| Kawasaki Frontale | 13 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 22 | |
| Sagan Tosu | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 20 |
| Yokohama F. Marinos | 13 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 18 |
| Kashima Antlers | 13 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 17 |
| Cerezo Osaka | 13 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 17 |
| Kashiwa Reysol | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 17 | |
| Nagoya Grampus | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | -2 | 17 |
| Vissel Kobe | 13 | 5 | 8 | -5 | 15 | |
| Omiya Ardija | 13 | 4 | 3 | 6 | -11 | 15 |
| Gamba Osaka | 12 | 2 | 3 | 7 | -10 | 9 |
| Albirex Niigata | 13 | 2 | 3 | 8 | -12 | 9 |
| Consadole Sapporo | 13 | 1 | 1 | 11 | -19 | 4 |
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