Yoshinori Muto

Yoshinori Muto (武藤 嘉紀, Mutō Yoshinori, born 15 July 1992) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward or a winger for Vissel Kobe.

The native form of this personal name is Muto Yoshinori. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.
Yoshinori Muto
Muto playing for Japan at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Full name Yoshinori Muto[1]
Date of birth (1992-07-15) 15 July 1992
Place of birth Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position(s) Forward, winger
Team information
Current team
 Vissel Kobe
Number 11
Youth career
2008–2010 FC Tokyo
2010–2013 Keio University
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2015 FC Tokyo 51 (23)
2015–2018 Mainz 05 66 (20)
2018–2021 Newcastle United 25 (1)
2020–2021 → Eibar (loan) 26 (1)
2021– Vissel Kobe 44 (12)
International career‡
2014– Japan 29 (3)
Medal record
Representing  Japan
AFC Asian Cup
Silver medal – second place2019 United Arab Emirates
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 March 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 1 February 2019

Muto started his career with J1 League club FC Tokyo in 2013 who he played with for three seasons. In May 2015, he signed for German club Mainz 05 where he amassed 72 appearances and scored 23 goals before moving to Premier League club Newcastle United in August 2018.

Club career

FC Tokyo

As a child, Muto joined FC Tokyo's youth system, where he kept developing until 2010. He then enrolled in the Faculty of Economics of Keio University but kept playing football, for Keio's team. Despite an injury which sidelined him, in his first season with Keio he won the "Rookie of the Year" title.[3]

In 2012 and 2013, FC Tokyo included him in their roster as a "Special Designated Player",[4] an option that allows J-League clubs to field university players without a professional contract. However, he got on the pitch just once, at the end of a match in July 2013.

In 2014, he signed his first professional contract with FC Tokyo[5] and was given the shirt number 14. Coach Massimo Ficcadenti decided to use him from the first league round and, at the end of the season, Muto reached 33 appearances and scored 13 goals, matching the top debut record in the Japanese first division.[6] At the end of the season, he was part of the J-League's Best XI.[7]

Muto graduated from Keio University in March 2015, and the following month was subject to a bid by Chelsea.[8] In April, he was elected as March's MVP (Player of the Month) in the J-League.[9]

Mainz 05

On 30 May 2015, Muto joined Bundesliga club Mainz 05 on a four-year contract until 2019.[10] On 31 October 2015, he scored a hat-trick for the first time in his career and also became the second Japanese player after Naohiro Takahara to score a hat-trick in the Bundesliga, in his team's 3–3 draw against FC Augsburg.[11]

Newcastle United

Premier League club Newcastle United announced on 27 July 2018 that they had reached a deal to sign Muto, pending him being granted a UK work permit.[12] He was granted the work permit on 2 August, officially becoming a Newcastle player on a four-year contract as part of a £9.5 million fee.[13] Muto's first goal for Newcastle came in a 3–2 away loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford.[14]

Eibar (loan)

On 16 September 2020, Muto was loaned out to Spanish club Eibar for the 2020–21 season.[15]

Vissel Kobe

On 7 August 2021, Vissel Kobe announced that they signed Muto.[16]

International career

Muto made his debut for Japan on 5 September 2014 in a 2–0 friendly defeat to Uruguay at the Sapporo Dome, replacing Yusuke Minagawa after 58 minutes.[17] Four days later at Yokohama's Nissan Stadium he scored his first international goal, coming on as a half-time substitute against Venezuela and scoring the first goal of a 2–2 draw six minutes later.[18]

As a substitute, Muto played all of Japan's matches at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup in Australia, ending with defeat to the United Arab Emirates in the quarter-finals.[19]

On 31 May 2018, he was named in Japan's final 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.[20]

On 20 December 2018 he has been called up for the 2019 Asian Cup replacing the injured Takuma Asano.[21]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 22 August 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] League cup[lower-alpha 2] Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
FC Tokyo 2013 J1 League 100000—10
2014 J1 League 33130051—3814
2015 J1 League 1710—42—2112
Total 51230093—6026
Mainz 05 2015–16 Bundesliga 20710——217
2016–17 Bundesliga 19500—2[lower-alpha 3]1216
2017–18 Bundesliga 27832——3010
Total 662042—217223
Newcastle United 2018–19 Premier League 1710010—181
2019–20 Premier League 801011—101
Total 2511021—282
SD Eibar (loan) 2020–21 La Liga 26122——283
Vissel Kobe 2021 J1 League 145———145
2022 J1 League 26620—3[lower-alpha 4]1317
2023 J1 League 2483110—289
Total 64195110317321
Career total 231641251245226075
  1. Includes DFB-Pokal, FA Cup, Copa del Rey, Emperor's Cup
  2. Includes J.League Cup, EFL Cup
  3. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  4. Appearances in AFC Champions League

International
As of match played 28 June 2018[22]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Japan 201461
2015121
201610
201720
201840
201941
Total293
As of match played 17 January 2019[22]
Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Muto goal.
List of international goals scored by Yoshinori Muto
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 9 September 2014Nissan Stadium, Yokohama, Japan2 Venezuela1–02–2Friendly
2 13 October 2015Azadi Stadium, Tehran, Iran17 Iran1–11–1Friendly
3 17 January 2019Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates27 Uzbekistan1–12–12019 AFC Asian Cup

References
  1. "2018/19 Premier League squads confirmed". Premier League. 3 September 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  2. "2018 FIFA World Cup: List of players" (PDF). FIFA. 14 July 2018. p. 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 June 2018.
  3. "【ソッカー男子】開幕前取材、第3弾 武藤嘉紀編" (in Japanese). Keio Sports Press. 3 May 2011.
  4. "武藤嘉紀選手（慶應義塾大学）「ＪＦＡ・Ｊリーグ特別指定選手」承認のお知らせ" (in Japanese). FC Tokyo. 26 June 2012. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014.
  5. "武藤嘉紀選手(慶應義塾大学)来季新加入内定のお知らせ" (in Japanese). FC Tokyo. 12 December 2013. Archived from the original on 22 December 2013.
  6. "Chelsea scout out Muto". Marca. 9 April 2015.
  7. Orlowitz, Dan. "Yasuhito Endo awarded 2014 J-League MVP; FC Tokyo and Gamba Osaka spearhead Best XI". Football Channel Asia.
  8. "Yoshinori Muto: Chelsea make bid for Japanese striker". BBC Sport. 9 April 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  9. "Muto named Coca-Cola MVP winners in March". JLeague Sport. 11 April 2015. Archived from the original on 19 April 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  10. "Mainz 05 sign Yoshinori Muto". Mainz 05. 30 May 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  11. "Muto hits hat-trick in Mainz draw". The Japan Times. 1 November 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  12. Ryder, Lee (27 July 2018). "Newcastle United confirm they have all but sealed the transfer of Yoshinori Muto". Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  13. Dale, James (2 August 2018). "Yoshinori Muto signs for Newcastle after work permit granted". Sky Sports. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  14. Smyth, Rob (6 October 2018). "Manchester United 3-2 Newcastle United: Premier League – as it happened". The Guardian.
  15. "Muto loaned out to Eibar". nufc.co.uk. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  16. "FW武藤嘉紀選手 完全移籍加入のお知らせ" (in Japanese). Vissel Kobe. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  17. "Japan 0–2 Uruguay: Cavani on target for Celeste". Goal.com. 5 September 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  18. West, Harry (9 September 2014). "Japan 2–2 Venezuela: Kawashima mistake costs Aguirre maiden win". Goal.com. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  19. "Asian Cup 2015: UAE complete shock win over Japan to reach semi-final after penalty shootout dramatics". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 23 January 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  20. "Football – Nishino opts for experienced Japan squad for World Cup". Reuters. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  21. "Muto gets Asian Cup call". Newcastle United Football Club. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  22. "Yoshinori Muto". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
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