[MHaifa1913]

Olympique de Marseille's Japanese defender Koji Nakata has attracted interest from Beitar Jerusalem in Israel. Beitar is owned by the Russian/Israeli Arkadi Gaydamak and he is pushing for the club to become a European power ala CSKA Moscow. His son bought 50% of Portsmouth last week and father has been buying up a storm in order to prepare the club for the UEFA Cup next year since Maccabi Haifa have all but wrapped up the Ligat ha'Al (Premier League) title. Beitar is managed by Luis Fernandez who recently signed Lens' Jerome Leroy and has been after Koji Nakata. Nakata, has not been featuring much this season only playing 837 minutes and this transfer will help them recoup what ever they spent when they bought him from Kashima Antlers. Anyway, the clubs have come to an agreement and the only thing keeping this transfer from hapening is Nakata himself.

Nakata was in Israel a week ago and agreed terms with the club. Money was not the issue and he had a good time while visiting the club. He commented that he was pleased to see that Israel is a modern country and not an Iraq or Afganistan which is what he assumed things would be like from television. The thing that bothers him is that he recently heard a scuffle between fans of Beitar and Bnei Sakhnin which caused him to rethink the transfer. Zico, Japan's national team manager, has been advising Nakata to go to Beitar and get back to playing regular first team football.

How much to Marseille buy Nakata for? They could be making a profit on this one no matter what.

[ZoltaR]

Originally Posted by KYHS Soccer

Olympique de Marseille's Japanese defender Koji Nakata has attracted interest from Beitar Jerusalem in Israel. Beitar is owned by the Russian/Israeli Arkadi Gaydamak and he is pushing for the club to become a European power ala CSKA Moscow. His son bought 50% of Portsmouth last week and father has been buying up a storm in order to prepare the club for the UEFA Cup next year since Maccabi Haifa have all but wrapped up the Ligat ha'Al (Premier League) title. Beitar is managed by Luis Fernandez who recently signed Lens' Jerome Leroy and has been after Koji Nakata. Nakata, has not been featuring much this season only playing 837 minutes and this transfer will help them recoup what ever they spent when they bought him from Kashima Antlers. Anyway, the clubs have come to an agreement and the only thing keeping this transfer from hapening is Nakata himself.

Nakata was in Israel a week ago and agreed terms with the club. Money was not the issue and he had a good time while visiting the club. He commented that he was pleased to see that Israel is a modern country and not an Iraq or Afganistan which is what he assumed things would be like from television. The thing that bothers him is that he recently heard a scuffle between fans of Beitar and Bnei Sakhnin which caused him to rethink the transfer. Zico, Japan's national team manager, has been advising Nakata to go to Beitar and get back to playing regular first team football.

How much to Marseille buy Nakata for? They could be making a profit on this one no matter what.

ha doesn't play at all here
maybe the level of the israel league would be better for him.
....