This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/apr/09/chelsea-bid-yoshinori-muto-fc-tokyo-japan
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Chelsea make £4m bid to sign Japan forward Yoshinori Muto in summer | Chelsea make £4m bid to sign Japan forward Yoshinori Muto in summer |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Chelsea have made a bid for the Tokyo and Japan forward Yoshinori Muto which is believed to be worth £4m, with the plan to loan him out next season to Vitesse Arnhem. | |
| The move comes as the club plan a week-long post-season tour to Japan, in conjunction with their new shirt sponsor, Yokohama Rubber. “It is true that Chelsea sent us an offer for Muto,” Naoki Ogane, the Tokyo president, told Sports Nippon. “It is a formal offer with conditions. They want to acquire him in the summer.” | |
| Muto has been quoted in Japan as saying that he is yet to make up his mind over whether to sign for Chelsea. “I have not decided yet at all,” he said. “It is an honour for me to receive this offer from a great club.” | Muto has been quoted in Japan as saying that he is yet to make up his mind over whether to sign for Chelsea. “I have not decided yet at all,” he said. “It is an honour for me to receive this offer from a great club.” |
| Chelsea have close links to Vitesse in the Dutch Eredivisie and they have sent numerous players on loan there in order to gain first-team experience. At the moment Josh McEachran, Bertrand Traore and Wallace are with them. | |
| Muto, 22, has 11 caps for Japan and he played for them during the run to the quarter-finals of the Asia Cup. Quick and skilful, he can play off either flank or as a second striker and he has impressed in the J-League, scoring 13 goals last season – his first as a professional – and three more so far this time round. He has an economics degree from Keio University, one of the leading educational establishments in Japan, graduating only two weeks ago. | Muto, 22, has 11 caps for Japan and he played for them during the run to the quarter-finals of the Asia Cup. Quick and skilful, he can play off either flank or as a second striker and he has impressed in the J-League, scoring 13 goals last season – his first as a professional – and three more so far this time round. He has an economics degree from Keio University, one of the leading educational establishments in Japan, graduating only two weeks ago. |
| Chelsea announced the £40m-a-year partnership with Yokohama Rubber – a Japanese tyre manufacturer – in February and José Mourinho has said that they are considering a tour to Japan after the final game of the season, at home to Sunderland on 24 May. | Chelsea announced the £40m-a-year partnership with Yokohama Rubber – a Japanese tyre manufacturer – in February and José Mourinho has said that they are considering a tour to Japan after the final game of the season, at home to Sunderland on 24 May. |
| Were Muto to be on board by then, the media attention and excitement would be increased further. Only six Japanese players have played in the Premier League – Junichi Inamoto, Kazuyuki Toda, Hidetoshi Nakata, Ryo Miyaichi, Shinji Kagawa and Maya Yoshida. | Were Muto to be on board by then, the media attention and excitement would be increased further. Only six Japanese players have played in the Premier League – Junichi Inamoto, Kazuyuki Toda, Hidetoshi Nakata, Ryo Miyaichi, Shinji Kagawa and Maya Yoshida. |