Newcastle have confirmed the £10 million capture of Japan forward Yoshinori Muto from Mainz after he was granted international clearance to work in England.
The two clubs earlier this week agreed terms for the 26-year-old, who impressed during the World Cup as his country reached the round of 16, but were forced to wait for the paperwork to be signed off by the Home Office.
That process has now been completed and the move ratified, allowing Newcastle to officially announce the arrival of their first ever Japanese player on Thursday afternoon.
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He said: “I am very happy to be a player for Newcastle United. I am really looking forward to playing in front of the fans.
“As the first Japanese Newcastle United player, I am honoured to be a player for such a big club. 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.”
Speaking upon his arrival, 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.”