Takumi Minamino could get more regular playing time after battling for a break into Klopp’s first team at Anfield.
A little about the topic
Monaco have agreed an €18m deal to sign a Japanese player from the Reds. The League 1 outfit has made its move for Takumi Minamino and looks set to beat the likes of Southampton and Leeds to their signature. Takumi, who scored 10 goals in 24 appearances for Liverpool last season, is now set to complete his personal arrangements and undergo a medical before making a move to Stade Louis II.
Contract Details
Following a round of negotiations this week, it was agreed that Monaco would pay a flat fee of €15 million, with additional performance-related surcharges of another €3 million. This is slightly lower than the Reds’ original price but is seen as a good deal at Anfield, with Takumi costing around half that fee when he moved from Red Bull Salzburg in January 2020.
What did Takumi Minamino say?
The Japanese international played a key role in Liverpool’s two domestic cup successes last season, scoring top points in both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup. But Takumi Minamino did not participate in any finals and only one PL managed to start the whole campaign, and only nine in total. This role upset him, and recently Takumi Minamino said that he feels regret and anger every day.
The Japanese player added that he never had as much time as a player. It was difficult to maintain a state and connect with his feelings. According to Takumi Minamino, many of the games he played were of no interest to anyone. With the likes of Darwin Nunez and Fabio Carvalho already signed ahead of the new season, it was clear that opportunities for Takumi would be just as limited by that time frame.
The Saints, with whom Takumi spent four months on loan during the 2020-21 season, were in talks earlier this week, while the Peacocks, managed by Jesse Marsch, to his former Salzburg managers, also made a request, but it was Monaco who did his turn and now looks set to land a football player.