By Mark Heys
November 14 2005

Hidetoshi Nakata

Born: Yamanashi, Japan, 22nd January 1977

International Honours: Japan Full

Position: Midfield

Squad Number: 16

Former Clubs: Bellmare Hiratsuka (Japan), Perugia (Italy), Roma (Italy), Parma (Italy), Bologna (Italy) (loan), Fiorentina (Italy)

Talented midfield playmaker who joined Bolton on a year long loan deal from Italian side Fiorentina in August 2005.

The name of Nakata is synonymus in European football, especially in Italy's Serie A league where he spent nigh on seven years before making the temporary move to England.

His popularity as one of Japan's greatest ever exports gives him a worldwide acclaim which can only be rivalled by the likes of England captain David Beckham.

Like Beckham, he is also the captain of his country and has won over 50 caps for them since shooting to international prominence in the 1998 World Cup in France.

He began his career just over ten years ago with the now defunct J-league club Bellmare Hiratsuka, going on to appear in over 80 games with them prior to his highly publicised transfer to mainland Europe.

During his time with Bellmare he won two consecutive Asian Player of the Year trophies which further strengthened his obvious credentials as one of Asia's best players.

Italian side Perugia took him to the Stade Renato Curi in the 1998-1999 season to begin a long standing association with Italian football in particular.

His first season with them saw an excellent return of 10 goals from 33 matches, so it wasn't long before some of the bigger teams began to take notice.

In January 2000 A.S Roma took him to the Italian captain for a fee in excess of £13 million but he was unable to hold down a regular first team place at the Stadio Olimpico and made just 30 appearances in two seasons.

His short time with Fabio Capello's side was not totally fruitless though as he managed to secure a Serie A championship medal with Roma in 2001 where he played alongside former Wanderers full back Vincent Candela.

Transferring to Parma in July 2001 saw him playing regular first team football again and in line to feature in the 2002 World Cup which was being held in his home country.

He won the Italian Cup (Coppa Italia) in 2002 and was an intergral part of the Japan team to feature in the World Cup that very same year.

The last six months of the 2003-2004 season where spent out on loan with Bologna (17 appearances, 2 goals), before he moved to Fiorentina last summer

Hidetoshi has an official website at http://nakata.net/en/ and this can be viewed in English

BOLTON RECORD: