Steve Bruce is reportedly eager to offload Yoshinori Muto from Newcastle United this summer.
According to the Athletic, ‘Bruce is keen’ to sell the Japanese striker this window with the 29-year-old failing to impress the Newcastle manager since signing for the club in 2019.
Muto has only made 28 appearances for the Toon, scoring just twice. The striker spent last season with La Liga side SD Eibar.
With the former Mainz 05 star reportedly earning £54,000-a-week according to Spotrac, Muto is one of Newcastle’s highest-earning players. Moreover, the Athletic claim that Bruce does not rate the attacker highly.
Newcastle have already lost one striker this summer in the form of Andy Carroll. The 32-year-old departed the northeast side for the second time in his career following the expiration of his contract with the club.
With Callum Wilson the Magpies’ main goalscorer last season, Bruce will be keen to sign more firepower this summer if they are to take some of the workload of the England international.
However, a striker is not Bruce’s priority this summer, it seems. The club are keen to sign a central midfielder, with Joe Willock Newcastle’s main option after the Arsenal star’s stunning loan spell with the northeast side last season.
As well as Willock, the likes of Mario Lemina, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Hamza Choudhury have been linked with Newcastle.
And selling Muto for both a fee and getting him off the wage bill will be a step in the right direction to the Toon adding a midfielder to their ranks this summer.
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