Why Newcastle loaning out Yoshinori Muto is ideal for all parties
Newcastle United forward Yoshinori Muto has jouned Spanish top-flight side Eibar on a season-long loan deal, as confirmed by the club’s official website.
Muto had attracted interest from a couple of Bundesliga clubs but the Japanese international has agreed to join Eibar, where he will team up with fellow compatriot Takashi Inui. (h/t Northern Echo)
Profile
Yoshinori Muto started his professional career with FC Tokyo in the J1 League back in 2013 and went on to register 26 goals and 5 assists in 61 appearances across all competitions over the course of three seasons in his homeland.
That paved the way for a move to Europe with German club Mainz in the summer of 2015 and Muto was an instant hit in the Bundesliga. The diminutive attacker accumulated an impressive tally of 23 goals and 11 assists in 72 appearances for Mainz before earning a £9.5million move to Newcastle United back in the summer of 2018.
The 28-year-old struggled to get to grips with the English game, scoring only twice in 28 appearances for the Magpies. A full international for Japan since 2014, Muto has amassed 29 senior caps for his nation so far and represented the Blue Samurai at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Why Newcastle have done the right thing by loaning Muto out
Yoshinori Muto came through the door at Newcastle with a promising track record of goals and assists in Germany. But, he has failed to adapt to the Premier League.
It was clear from his lack of involvement in the Magpies’ starting eleven that the diminutive forward has struggled to acclimatise to life in England. Muto was scarcely used by former manager Rafael Benitez. And things went further downhill for him since the appointment of Steve Bruce last summer.
The Japanese international found himself behind the likes of Andy Carroll, Joelinton, and Dwight Gayle in Bruce’s pecking order last term, starting only twice in the Premier League. With competition for places in front of goal heated up even more this season following the arrival of Callum Wilson, the writing was on the wall as far as Muto is concerned.
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Verdict
Still only 28, Yoshinori Muto is very much in the prime years of his career and he needs to play regularly week in, week out, to challenge for a place in the national team. That seems unlikely to happen at Newcastle, who are now better off having sanctioned a departure, which reduces their wage bills.
The Japanese star might have struggled to settle down at Tyneside. But he remains a decent forward capable of shining elsewhere in Europe. Having said that, a loan move to Eibar seems to be an ideal settlement for all parties involved.
