Newcastle United have agreed terms with Bundesliga outfit Mainz to bring Japan World Cup striker Yoshinori Muto to the Premier League
It has been a week now since reports in the Mail stated that Newcastle United were in advanced talks to sign the Mainz striker Yoshinori Muto for £9 million.
Since then, the Japanese international has agreed personal terms and passed a medical – but the 26-year-old is yet to be seen posing in a Newcastle shirt. Work permits are always problematic when signing players from the Far East and, in Muto’s case, this is no different.
Though it seems that there will be some positive news soon.
According to The Chronicle, Newcastle hope to have signed and sealed a deal for Muto by the end of this week as they await the relevant paperwork which would confirm the former FC Tokyo youngster as part of Rafa Benitez’s squad.
The report adds that he could even make his debut in the pre-season friendly clash against Bundesliga outfit FC Augsburg on Saturday.
Muto would be a welcome addition to a Newcastle side who struggled for goals last season. Spaniard Ayoze Perez was their most prolific marksman with just eight Premier League goals, while Dwight Gayle has been tipped to follow Aleksandar Mitrovic out the door.
Muto scored 20 goals in 66 Bundesliga games for Mainz since his arrival in 2015.
Newcastle have signed Ki Sung-Yueng, Martin Dubravka, Fabian Schar and Kenedy (loan) so far this summer.
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