Gordon Strachan believes that Celtic’s exit from Europe will not hasten Shunsuke Nakamura’s departure and predicted yesterday that the gifted Japan player will still be at the club after the January transfer window closes.

Nakamura’s main agent, Robert Takuda, and other representatives from his management company were in Glasgow at the weekend, sparking fresh rumours that the 30-year-old could be on his way back to his homeland at the end of next month.

The midfield player’s contract runs out at the end of the season and, with Celtic failing to progress in the Champions League or take the Uefa Cup parachute, the fear was that the club would agree to let him return to Japan now to cash in on a transfer fee.

But Strachan said yesterday: “I don’t think the fact we are no longer in Europe alters things one bit in respect of Nakamura. You have never seen a happier man in training.”

Strachan is aware how difficult it is for Nakamura with his family commitments in Japan and is full of admiration. “We would all like to be beside our family, and I don’t know if I could do what he does,” the manager said. “I don’t know if I could live without my family. But he does it.”