CELTIC have already entered talks over a tour of the Far East next summer after last night confirming the pounds-2.7m signing of Shunsuke Nakamura, the Japanese international midfielder.

Nakamura will leave Italian club Reggina and sign a threeyear contract at Parkhead to become Gordon Strachan's seventh summer addition. The deal is subject to the 27-yearold being awarded a work permit and passing a medical.

Nakamura is expected in Glasgow later this week to complete the formalities once Celtic have returned from tomorrow's Champions League qualifier against Artmedia Bratislava.

Strachan last night emphasised the "special talent" of Nakamura, but the signing will also bring huge commercial benefits to the club. Peter Lawwell, Celtic's chief executive, completed negotiations with the player's agents at Parkhead yesterday and has managed to retain Nakamura's image rights which will see spin-offs in merchandising as well as internet and television sales to Japan.

Celtic have now spent about pounds-7m on new players this summer and Lawwell, having been subjected to criticism in recent weeks, is able to ref lect on the successful conclusion of the most complex transfer deal in which he has been involved since moving into his role at Parkhead in 2003.

The club will clearly look to maximise the earnings potential of Nakamura and The Herald understands Lawwell has already held preliminary talks over an Asian trip which would further raise Celtic's brand within the lucrative new football market. This summer, major clubs such as Chelsea, Manchester United, Everton, Real Madrid and Barcelona all visited the Far East. Liverpool were forced to cancel a proposed tour of Japan after being granted entry to the first qualifying round of the Champions League by UEFA.

Strachan, though, is more concerned with the player's onfield ability. He hopes Nakamura will provide the creativity to unlock defences in Scotland and in Europe, having watched him shine in the recent FIFA Confederations Cup.

"Once he's out on the pitch, I'm sure our fans will realise very quickly why we were so keen to secure his signature, " said Strachan. "He's a very special talent.

"He's a playerwho can bring an extra dimension to any team, and, having done our homework on him and asked many people about his background and temperament, we are delighted the deal has been done."

Nakamura was also wanted by Borussia Moenchengladbach, but the prospect of Champions League football was a factor in him choosing to move to Scotland from Serie A.

"Celtic are obviously an enormous football club with an extremely passionate support, " he said.

"This was one of the main reasons I have signed and I can't wait to get started and show the fans what I can do.

"I'm confident of a successful season in Glasgow, both in the league and in Europe, and look forward to meeting up with my new team-mates later this week."

Nakamura was a fringe player when Japan co-hosted the World Cup in 2002 but has since developed into their principal playmaker. He is, with David Beckham, the face of adidas in his homeland and Celtic aim to benefit from this popularity. The level of interest in Nakamura was emphasised to Lawwell when he left a meeting in Milan last week and walked straight into a Japanese television crew who had tracked down his whereabouts.

A mass of Japanese media will now descend upon Celtic Park to follow his progress.

Feyenoord's purchase of Shinji Ono, Nakamura's international team mate, provides an example of the commercial seams to be mined by Celtic.

The Rotterdam club now have merchandising outlets across Japan and sell weekly television specials on Ono to his legions of supporters.

"He is here first and foremost for his footballing pedigree, which is evident from the man-of-the match award he won when playing for Japan against Brazil, " said Lawwell, who described 70-times capped Nakamura as an "icon".

"However, the opportunities he will bring in terms of commercial spin-offs, especially in Japan and the Far East, are of great interest.

"One of the most complicated aspects of the negotiations was the player's image rights, which Celtic have secured.

"This could lead to an increase in merchandising sales in the Far East, as well as a significant boost for our other services and products."

Celtic's pounds-7m spending represents their most significant net outlay in recent seasons. It has been made possible, largely, by the commercial restructuring undertaken by Lawwell in an attempt to reverse the pounds-7m annual losses that had been afflicting the club. A new kit deal with Nike began this month and will earn Celtic pounds-25m over its five-year run, while Carling's sponsorship of the Old Firm is now worth pounds-18m to the clubs The Parkhead club have also completed publishing and mail-order deals over the past 12 months.

Strachan said on Sunday that Nakamura would be his final signing of the transfer window. Whether further funds are made available in January may well depend on reaching the group stage of the Champions League.