The club are interested in signing Mainz striker Yoshinori Muto, according to the Mirror journalist David Anderson.
Currently at the World Cup with Japan, the 25-year-old is reportedly valued at £14m by his club.
Fans on Twitter reacted to the story:
8 goals in 27 in the league thats almost a goal in three games… thats pretty decent, i mean its better then our striking opcions.
— #TangrowthIsBAE (@Tangr0wth) 28 June 2018
Canny numbers. I’ll watch him more closely now at the World Cup pic.twitter.com/TsGDgZxCpR
— Dan Snowden (@DanSnowden) 28 June 2018
That’s like 100 players we’ve been linked to but only one signing who was a loan we just made permanent
— Hilmy Lightning Shawwal (@shawwal_96) 28 June 2018
It would be excellent for me, I’m moving to Japan and it would guarantee more matches on the telly! Looks like a decent player too, will definitely give 100% in every match.
— Joe Fowler (@KumaYama100) 28 June 2018
Decent money and probably won’t cost much in wages either! Although it’s probably BS anyway
— Daniel Sendell???????????????? (@Dannyboy6481) 28 June 2018
Not watching the game either but told he’s too soft for the Premier League and wouldn’t fit into Rafa’s system
— Laurence Taylor ️⚽️⚫️⚪️???????????????????????????????????? (@laurence_1999) 28 June 2018
Shirt sales…
— Wayne summers (@0808wayne) 27 June 2018
Verdict:
Muto has performed pretty well since moving to German football in 2015. Despite playing for a team who generally struggle at the wrong end of the Bundesliga table , he has a decent scoring record.
Over the past three seasons, he has scored 23 goals in 73 appearances, including 10 in all competitions last campaign.
Although he started the 1-0 defeat to Poland in the World Cup yesterday, he does only have two goals from 25 international caps.
With Japan advancing to the last 16 of the tournament, we could see him in action once again when his side face Belgium. Although I haven’t seen too much of him, £14m may be a bit expensive compared to other strikers on the market.