'Physical, intelligent and quick' - Former bosses on Yoshinori Muto as Newcastle agree fee
Everything you need to know about Japanese striker Yoshinori Muto
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ByAndrew Musgrove
11:53, 26 JUL 2018UPDATED12:27, 26 JUL 2018
SPORT
Rafa Benitez is on the search for a new striker and the Magpies have now made their move for the 26-year-old, while West Brom’s Salomon Rondon is also high on the list for the United manager.
With two weeks to go until the transfer window closes, the Magpies look set to add the Japanese forward to their squad ahead of the Premier League campaign.
Here’s all you need to know about Yoshinori Muto.
The basic information about Yoshinori Muto
He’s 26 and plays as a striker for Mainz. He featured at the World Cup this summer for Japan appearing once in the competition.
How did last season go for Muto?
He featured 30 times for Mainz in all competitions - 27 in the league as the German side battled against relegation. In the end Mainz finished three points above the drop zone - a position they had occupied until five weeks before the season finished. He was the club’s top scorer in the league with eight goals - netting a further three in the cup.
His career before Mainz
He arrived in Germany from FC Tokyo in May 2015 on a four-year contract - meaning he’ll be out of contract next summer. He hit 23 goals in 51 games for FC Tokyo before his move to Mainz. He hit seven goals in his debut season in the Bundesliga and a further five the season after.
What do they say about him?
Ranko Popovic was the manager who gave Muto his chance at FC Tokyo in July 2013 and he spoke about the striker.
“His potential was amazing, I didn’t see for a long time such an intelligent player like Muto. He’s a different guy, he’s not such a usual player. Muto is something like a noble. He has something different to all other players because he comes from a good family, he has good education, he was at university. A very smart, intelligent guy. He has something which you cannot learn.”
What about his style of play?
Popovic focused on one thing - Muto’s speed.
“He was so fast. So speedy and so strong. And also so confident. He has a lot of confidence. In our training games, Muto always had chances. Amazing. He had 10 or 12 chances in every game.”
Previous Mainz head coach Martin Schmidt spoke about Muto’s efforts on the pitch on his Bundesliga debut back in 2015, noting his running and ability to defend from the front.
“He’s not a striker that stands still and waits for the ball. Yoshi, with his engine and his passion, did what [shinji] Okazaki was doing for us before he left,” he told the club’s official website. “I was delighted with his performance. He was relentless in irritating and pressuring the opposition, and, in a way, was our first line of defence, perhaps even the most important. By working so hard, he took a lot of pressure off our defenders.”
Could he cut it in the Premier League?
Popovic in 2015 told Bleacher Report that Muto would be ‘refreshing’ in England’s top flight - this was at the time the striker was linked to Chelsea.
“[if he goes] I’m 100 per cent sure Muto can be refreshing for the Premier League,” he said. “This is a big thing for Japan, for Japanese football, for Muto. But please don’t take all the responsibility for all Japan now on your back. You are going there only to play football. Do things your way, and all Japan will be proud of you.”
Goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi also added his thoughts: “He is physical and has the ability to finish off chances, as well as being able to work shooting opportunities for himself. I think he would suit the English style.”
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/newcastle-united-yoshinori-muto-profile-14954758
