Could Keito Nakamura be heading to Everton this summer? The Blues have been named among a cluster of Premier League clubs monitoring the Japan winger, whose stock has soared after a string of eye-catching displays at the World Cup.
According to BBC Sport, Everton, Bournemouth and Fulham have all registered interest in the 26-year-old, who is available to leave Stade Reims this window. Crucially, the player already has an understanding with the French club that he can depart for the right price – believed to be in the region of £21.5m – after Reims failed to bounce back to Ligue 1 at the first attempt.
Why Everton Are Sniffing Around
It’s not hard to see the appeal. Nakamura top-scored for Reims last season with 14 goals from the left flank – in a struggling side, in a league he was frankly too good for. Before that, he managed 11 goals in 32 Ligue 1 outings in 2024-25 even as Reims went down, which tells you plenty about his ability to produce in a team fighting at the wrong end of the table.
Then came the World Cup. With Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma ruled out through a hamstring injury, Nakamura seized the left-wing berth for the Samurai Blue and never let go. He scored against the Netherlands in the group opener, added an assist, and earned a place in Opta’s team of the group stage before Japan bowed out narrowly to Brazil in the last 32 – a game they arguably deserved more from.
His international record overall is seriously impressive: 11 goals in 29 caps, including six in his first six appearances. Direct, quick, happy cutting inside onto his stronger foot, and with a work rate that would go down well at the Hill Dickinson – he profiles as exactly the kind of wide forward Everton have lacked.
The Catch
There’s always a catch, isn’t there? The BBC report notes that both Everton and Bournemouth have made enquiries with Nakamura’s camp about what a deal would look like – but neither can move until attackers are shifted out first. For Everton, that means the usual summer jigsaw of outgoings before incomings.
Fulham are lurking too, with Alvaro Arbeloa expected to take charge at Craven Cottage, and the competition doesn’t end in England. Villarreal and Besiktas both tried to prise him out of Reims previously, with offers reportedly climbing to £15.5m, and Turkish interest has persisted. A player of his profile, coming off a World Cup like that, will not be short of suitors.
One quirk of this pursuit: Nakamura is a genuine commercial phenomenon back home. He’s considered one of Japan’s most marketable players, has appeared at Paris Fashion Week, and his profile has exploded internationally during the tournament. Japanese journalist Choco Sasaki-Burns even compared his crossover potential to Hidetoshi Nakata’s.
Those who know him describe a settled, adaptable professional who has embraced life in Europe – he even travels with a personal chef to manage his nutrition. Having come through at Gamba Osaka before moving to Europe at 18, he’s taken in spells at FC Twente, Sint-Truiden and LASK Linz before landing at Reims in 2023. This is not a player who’d need hand-holding to settle on Merseyside.
The Verdict
At around £21.5m for a proven, versatile, two-footed threat entering his prime – with pace, goals and Premier League-ready athleticism – this looks like sharp business if Everton can clear the decks quickly. The question, as ever, is whether the Blues can move faster than the competition.
What do you reckon, Blues? Is Nakamura the winger we’ve been crying out for? Have your say on the forum.