Inamoto to stay at Fulham another year

Junichi Inamoto will still be a Fulham player next season – but on a second season-long loan deal rather than the three-year contract extension he was due to sign.

The Japan midfielder agreed a temporary move from Gamba Osaka last July, with an option for a permanent switch until the summer of 2006.

The 23-year-old’s season started spectacularly with a stunning hat-trick against Bologna in the Intertoto Cup, but faded badly due to injury and fitness problems.

Inamoto, who had failed to make a single Premiership appearance during a miserable 2001-02 term at Arsenal before he shot to fame at the World Cup, has made just nine league starts for Fulham and come off the bench 10 times.

He now has another 12 months to impress at Loftus Road and will hope Fulham’s new boss – expected to be announced later this month – gives him more first-team opportunities than the departed Jean Tigana.