Yoshinori Muto could easily have been sold in January had Newcastle United found a suitor for the £9.5million striker.
The Steve Bruce is yet to find any real form with the Magpies and questions are still being asked about his 2018 arrival from Mainz in the Bundesliga.
Injuries have not helped Muto with the 27-year-old not making an appearance since a hip problem forced him off away to Rochdale in the 1-1 draw on FA Cup third-round day back in January.
This is his second season at Newcastle and things looked to be on the up for the ex-FC Tokyo man when Andy Carroll, arrived.
Back in the Premier League trophy, on a sweltering day in Shanghai, Muto fired home the winning goal against West Ham to remind fans he was still around.
Muto then complained of feeling "isolated" during the infamous 3-1 defeat to Norwich City back in August but bounced back to score in the League Cup against Leicester City.
But he's started just twice since that night with one of those appearances resulting in him being hooked at half-time in the dreadful 5-0 defeat to the Foxes back in September.
With an effective nine-game "mini season" ahead of him now, Bruce knows he may have to rely on the Japanese forward in due course and it was no surprise to see Muto being talked up a little this week at the training ground following the 3-2 victory over Middlesbrough.
Bruce, who has Dwight Gayle struggling to get sufficient match minutes under his belt along with Newcastle said this week: "I don't think he's had a fair crack of the whip.
"He trains every day as if it's his last.
"He scored a goal (v Boro) so let's hope it helps him the next week."
Muto's time at Newcastle has not been easy so far and his every move has been followed by a squad of Japanese journalists who speak to him every week, regardless if he plays or not.
There is still huge interest in the man who has 29 caps and three goals for his country.
Newcastle fans thought that Muto was on his way to proving himself at United when he scored at Old Trafford to put the Magpies 2-0 up against Manchester United in 2018.
They went on to surrender that day and Muto hasn't look as sharp since but the unprecedented restart to the Premier League season may benefit the ex-Bundesliga man.
The hip injury has gone and Muto suggests he is up for the challenge.
He said: "I know I need more goals.
"I aim to score more in the Premier League.
"The most important thing is to score as I'm a striker, I need to keep scoring every game.
"We've trained hard for three weeks since lockdown."
"The Sheffield game is coming.
"We need to improve our condition a little more."
With two games in the space of four days against Sheff United and Aston Villa, there is every chance Bruce will give Muto the chance to live up to his goalscoring vow.
