Nakamura contemplates Celtic exit

Shunsuke Nakamura is set to quit Celtic in the January transfer window and return to his native Japan.

The midfielder's contract expires next summer although there is an option for the Scottish champions to extend the deal for another year.

But Nakamura, 30, who came on as a second-half substitute in Saturday's 4-2 win over Motherwell at Fir Park, is looking for a move away from Glasgow and now Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell will have to decide if it is worth cashing in on the Parkhead cult hero in the new year.

Nakamura said: "A move in January might be possible, I leave everything like that to my agent.

"If I was Scottish I would love to play at Celtic forever, but I'm Japanese and I also have a family and kids.

"I've also had to think about the national team as well and I'm finding it quite hard travelling back and forward all the time.

"When I take everything into consideration, it makes me thing I might need to go back to Japan.

"My agent has already spoken to a few teams in Japan.

"But Peter hasn't said he doesn't need me yet so I honestly don't know what will happen."