Newcastle United are closing in on the capture of Yoshinori Muto, according to sources. The FSV Mainz striker has attracted a lot of interest following a great season which was followed by an equally impressive World Cup campaign.
It is understood that Newcastle are in the final stages of talks with the Bundesliga club regarding the services of Muto this summer. In fact, the player himself sounded pretty optimistic ahead of a potential move to England.
“I can’t say yet but I should be able to deliver good news soon,” Muto told reporters at Haneda airport Thursday.
“I believe I’ll grow as a player if I put myself in a competitive environment. My goal is to net 10 goals, a number I haven’t reached during a season (overseas).” He said.
Muto joined Mainz in the summer of 2015 for a fee of £2.5 million and quickly became an integral part of their first team. Since arriving in the Bundesliga, the Japanese international has scored 23 goals in just 72 appearances for Mainz in all competitions.
He enjoyed his best season last campaign when he scored eight goals and provided four assists to help the 05-ers narrowly survive relegation.
Newcastle, on the other hand, have struggled with their lack of potency in the attacking department in recent years. The likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic and Joselu have appeared tentative in the English top flight, meaning Dwight Gayle remains their only reliable option in the goal-scoring department.
And even then, the English striker has been topsy-turvy as far as his form is concerned. Thus, the addition of a new striker is imperative as they look to make a better impression in the Premier League this season.
Yoshinori Muto, for one, is definitely a viable target for the Magpies given his impressive track record of scoring in the Bundesliga.
Newcastle have been in a state of uncertainty for a couple of years now but Benitez has utilised all his chops and kept going and has fared in a decent manner against all odds.
He has had to work on a shoestring budget and despite the disgruntlement, he has managed to work through it all.
The Magpies need goals and while there are concerns regarding Muto’s physicality and the failure of the likes of Kagawa, Benitez certainly will know how to utilise him. He will bring a new dimension to the attack and while not a blockbuster signing, the fans can expect a positive impact if the deal is finalised.
Stats Courtesy: Whoscored