Muto wants to be Toon legend
JAPAN forward Yoshinori Muto yesterday completed his move to Newcastle from Mainz and vowed to become a player the club will long remember.
Muto, 26, who underwent a medical and agreed personal terms with the Magpies last week, has joined on a fouryear deal after being granted a work permit at a hearing.
“As the first Japanese Newcastle player, I am honoured to be at such a big club,” said Muto.
I hope to achieve good results – that is what I am here to do. I would like to perform well and leave my name in Newcastle’s history. I am really looking forward to playing in front of the fans.”
Manager Rafa Benitez said: “I am really pleased to have Yoshinori Muto with us. We were following him for quite a while.
‘Hopefully he can bring us his energy and work-rate and help the team to improve and be better for the new season.”
Muto, who has scored 20 Bundesliga goals for Mainz over the past three seasons and played against Poland in the World Cup, is Toon’s fifth signing of the summer.
Martin Dubravka, Ki Sungyueng and Fabian Schar have joined on permanent deals, and Chelsea’s Brazilian wingback Kenedy will start a second loan spell with the club.
As Newcastle prepare for next week’s Premier League start, Sunderland are gearing up for a season in League One starting at home tomorrow against Charlton, and manager Jack Ross is determined to make sure it is only one. Charlie Wyke’s £1million move from Bradford on Wednesday means a full team of new arrivals has been secured since relegation and a change of ownership at the Stadium of Light.
But with more players expected to leave, Ross is still looking at his options on the transfer front to make title favourites Sunderland even stronger.
“We still could do with a little more strength in depth in certain areas,” said Ross, who remains keen to unload Papy Djilobodji and Didier Ndong.