Low-key Newcastle United signing makes belated first appearance for the club

Munoz joined from Mexican side Santos Laguna on an 18-month loan last August. However, the Under-23 forward wasn’t able to hit the ground running because of an injury.

The 19-year-old came off the bench in Monday night’s 2-0 Premier League Cup defeat to Huddersfield Town at the John Smith’s Stadium.

Munoz, the namesake of the fictional star of the 2005 Newcastle-based film Goal!, was included in the squad after completing a rehabilitation programme for his unspecified injury.

Speaking to the Gazette in December, lead player development coach Elliot Dickman said: “Santi’s injured, he’s still doing part of his rehab. It's probably going to be after Christmas, I’d imagine, before we see Santi in a match situation. The staff are working very hard with him to try to get him ready for that one when that comes.”

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