Chief admits player will need to be ‘physically assessed’ after disappointing Newcastle stint – ‘Has not seen him play’

Striker Santiago Muñoz ‘will be physically assessed’ by Santos Laguna decide after returning from his unsuccessful loan spell at Newcastle United.

That’s according to technical director Eduardo Fentanes, who has commented on a move for the Mexican as he gears up to depart St James Park.

Muñoz has spent the last 18 months on loan at Newcastle, joining from Santos Laguna at the end of August in 2021.

He went into Newcastle’s U23 side and it was expected he would play and develop there, with the Magpies holding an option to sign him permanently if things worked out well.

That did not prove to be the case, though, as he managed just nine games in total for Newcastle’s reserves sides and 462 minutes in total.

He was subsequently sent back to Santos at the end of December, with the Magpies electing to not take up their buy option and instead let him return.

The Mexican side now need to decide what to do with him, but Fentanes says before they can do so, the player will need to be assessed physically.

“Santiago has to do his medicals, pass them, and once that happens, we have to see him again, see how he’s doing,” Infobae report him saying at a press conference.

They also report that the technical director admitted he ‘has not seen him play’ since his move to England and that the youngster will need to ‘complete certain stages’ before he is able to compete with Eduardo Aguirre for a place in the starting XI.

In other words, it seems things will not be immediately improving for Muñoz, who now has to prove himself to his club after failing to convince Newcastle.