Liverpool and Aston Villa are interested in signing 22-year-old Japanese forward Keito Nakamura from LASK in Austria.
According to Daily Mail, Keito Nakamura is attracting widespread interest from top clubs. English, German and Dutch sides are keen, with Aston Villa and Liverpool leading the charge from the Premier League for the 22-year-old Japanese forward from LASK.
Clubs are often skeptical about signing Asian talents easily, especially when they are young. That problem may not apply to Bundesliga sides or Austrian teams. The German outfits have signed many Asian talents, particularly from Japan and South Korea, over the years.
Yet, bigger clubs in the Premier League often look at Asian talents from a finished article perspective and only then make a move. Recent examples include Son Heung-min, Park Ji-sung and Shinji Kagawa. We can call hardly a handful of talents a success story in England coming from Asia.
However, in line with the changing landscape, many Premier League sides might look at opportunistic signings of Asian stars. Nowadays, talent is largely gauged through the lenses of data and stats. Keito Nakamura is one player on Liverpool and Aston Villa’s radar.
The 22-year-old Japanese forward has excelled in his two years with LASK in Austria. After a decent first season in Europe with this club, Nakamura scored nine times in all competitions and nearly doubled his tally in the second season.
In the 2022/23 season, Nakamura managed 14 league goals and three in cup competitions. In addition, the 22-year-old also provided eight assists in 36 games, which reflects a brilliant return. He is already the subject of massive interest from top continental clubs, including Aston Villa and Liverpool.
Liverpool have been monitoring Nakamura since the end of January. They have not firmed up their interest. But they are surely looking keenly at the Japan international during the summer window. Jurgen Klopp could look to bring the Japanese forward, as his squad might have space for a developmental player.
Fabio Carvalho might leave Liverpool amid interest from RB Leipzig, and Klopp might view Nakamura as a viable replacement, maybe not in a positional sense. While the 22-year-old Japanese forward could find game time hard to come by at the Merseysiders, he can have another option in Aston Villa.
Unai Emery’s track record in developing young talents is among the best in the business. He showcased it by bringing up some wingers at Villarreal and improving many young talents at Aston Villa. The Spanish boss might view Nakamura as a key target, maybe to add depth to his attacking setup.
They are in the market for a young winger and could also use someone like Nakamura, who is experienced in the UEFA Europa Conference League. A deal could be possible, but the Japan star might choose his next club basis on where he can get regular chances.
