FC Tokyo's Muto heads off to Mainz
May 31 (Reuters) - FC Tokyo striker Yoshinori Muto confirmed on Saturday he had opted to join German side Mainz over Chelsea due to concerns about a lack of playing opportunities at the English champions.
Muto, who scored the winner from the penalty spot in Tokyo's 2-1 J-League victory over Kashiwa Reysol on Saturday, has signed a four-year deal, with the transfer fee believed to be 470 million yen ($3.79 million), Japan's Kyodo News reported.
Muto said he had been impressed by Mainz's desire to sign him and that he wanted to continue his goal-scoring form when he makes the switch to the Bundesliga following the completion of the first stage of the Japanese top flight in June.
"I began to want to compete at a level above. They really showed they wanted me," said Muto. "From the word go I'd like to focus on scoring goals."
Muto scored 13 goals for Tokyo last season and only graduated from Keio University in March after completing an economics degree.
Kyodo reported earlier this month that Chelsea, who announced their 'largest ever commercial deal' with Japanese tyre firm Yokohama Rubber Company this year, had bid around 700 million yen for Muto in March.
However, with a host of big names already cooling their heels on the Chelsea sidelines, Muto said he wanted to play somewhere that would allow him to develop.
"I wanted to keep my expectation realistic and play for a team that fits my level," he said.
($1 = 124.1100 yen) (Writing by Peter Rutherford in Seoul; Editing by Nick Mulvenney)
