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Newcastle United new signing “I’m looking forward to seeing the club’s facilities”

3 years ago
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The 2021 summer transfer deadline day arguably hit an all-time Newcastle United low in terms of wondering what on earth is going at our club, however, one player who did sign up with NUFC was Santiago Munoz.

Late Tuesday afternoon seeing confirmation that the rumoured deal had been completed and that Mexico under-23 international Santiago Munoz had joined the club’s Academy set-up on an initial 18-month loan deal.

​The official NUFC announcement also revealed that the deal includes an option to make Munoz’ move to Tyneside a permanent one.

The 19 year old was born in the United States and arrives from Mexican top-flight side Santos Laguna, where he made his debut last year and has scored three goals and claimed three assists in 13 league games.

At international level, he helped Mexico win the 2019 CONCACAF Under-17 Championships, scoring five goals – including the overall goal of the tournament – and was part of the squad which finished as runners-up at the 2019 Under-17 World Cup in Brazil.

Ironic that the arrival of Santiago Munoz comes only a week after Newcastle United’s hottest youth prospect, 16 year old Bobby Clark, son of Newcastle fan and former NUFC star Lee, moved to Liverpool without even hanging around to try and make a single first team appearance.

Good luck to Santiago Munoz but the success rate of bringing young players in from other countries has been absolutely non-existent (in terms of successfully ending up starring for NUFC first team).

Speaking after the Newcastle move was confirmed, no doubt NUFC fans will be amused to hear the 19 year declare “I’m looking forward to seeing the club’s facilities”, obviously Mike Ashley and Lee Charnley not having used a virtual tour of the Newcastle United training ground to sell the move to Santiago Munoz!!

Everything feels such an uphill struggle at Newcastle United under Mike Ashley, particularly when he then also employs the likes of Lee Charnley and Steve Bruce as his (official) main men.

It is very difficult to imagine Newcastle United successfully developing teenagers from far away countries when they can’t even hold onto their own most promising youth products, who are also Newcastle fans.

It is now eight years since Mike Ashley announced that a new state of the art training complex would be built as soon as possible, or else it would be impossible for Newcastle United to compete with rival clubs.

Eight years later and still not a brick laid…

Santiago Munoz talking to The Athletic after his loan move to Newcastle United was confirmed:

“I’ve known about the links to the movie [Goal!] but that’s something that’s peripheral to what I want to accomplish, it will be another source of motivation though.

“Honestly, it feels like everything has taken a long time.

“It [move to Newcastle] took a long time and there were moments where I was frustrated because I didn’t know what was happening. My family also didn’t know if this was going to move forward or if things had stalled.

“But even though it’s taken a while, I’ve enjoyed the moment. It was exciting. And now that it’s a done deal, I’m really happy and really excited.

“I’ve never been [to England] but I can already imagine what it’s like.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the club’s facilities.

“From the talks that we’ve had [with Newcastle United], they’ve told me that they’re going to support me. They know I’m young and they’re going to help with my continued development. I’m going to work hard.

I know I’m really young, but that won’t deter me from doing big things [in England]. I’m on to the next dream, but [Santos] helped me reach my first dream.”

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