Takumi Minamino (RB Salzburg)

Seems like Shaqiri type cheap deal on attacking depth, looked good in the two matches he played against us. Now hopefully won't be forced to play Ox in that wide role as much with this guy coming in though I am sure it will take a while for him to be blooded into the first team.

It's a steal. Minamino is a better Shaq. He's our new Coutinho. The guy has workrate but also finesse. No Liverpool fan can't like the deal but the competition for midfield will become brutal, on the other side we get deeper and deeper. For me it's a sign that Klopp won't plan longer with Shaq, it's also a sign he's not convinced of Keita/Ox to take over the playmaker role and wants an insurance.

With this latest addition our team looks more and more unbeatable. I can see 3 PL titles in a row plus one more CL win bevor Klopp's contract expires. Well, of course that's just day-dreaming for we all know so many things can go different than expected.

I also wonder if this deal finishes our interest for Madison. 

No doubt about it that he looked like he had something different about him.

He caused our regular back four issues in a way that you can't say about many Premier League players this season.

I'm not sure what it says about the scouting system at the club, but on the other hand Sadio Mane had good games against us and then we bought him.

Been tracking him for couple of years apparently so think scouting system working well

Looks like another great signing for the club. A great Christmas present for LFC.

Liverpool close on Red Bull Salzburg star Takumi Minamino — and can sign him for just £7.25m *updated exclusive*

Paul Joyce, Northern Football Correspondent

December 12 2019, 5:00pm, The Times

Liverpool are confident of signing Red Bull Salzburg’s Takumi Minamino when the transfer window opens next month for only £7.25 million.

The Japan international, who impressed against the European champions despite his side’s 2-0 defeat on Tuesday night, is available for a fraction of his true market value because of a release clause in his deal.

Minamino, 24, has been tracked by the likes of Manchester United, Borussia Mönchengladbach and AC Milan, but Liverpool started negotiations last month. The Salzburg sporting director, Christoph Freund, has confirmed Liverpool’s interest, which was first revealed by The Times.

“I can confirm that there are currently discussions with Liverpool,” said Freund, who has a strong relationship with his Anfield counterpart, Michael Edwards. “It is an honour which clubs are interested in our players.”

No date has been set for Minamino to undergo a medical or discuss personal terms, although a five-year contract has been mooted.

Liverpool — who believe Minamino would be worth in excess of £20 million without a release clause — had tracked the player before his arrival at Salzburg in 2015 and manager Jürgen Klopp has also been a long-term admirer of his.

Minamino has caught the eye with his performances in the Champions League where his quality, poise in possession and ability to pick a pass from an attacking midfield role is clear.

He scored in Salzburg’s 4-3 defeat at Anfield in October and was deployed at the top of a midfield diamond behind two strikers in this week’s game. Minamino has also played wide and in a two-pronged strike force previously to underline his versatility in a variety of positions which would appeal to Klopp.

He has two goals and three assists in the competition and it is understood some of Liverpool’s senior players mentioned Minamino to the club’s coaching staff having recognised his technical ability and work rate. Minamino covered 66.8 kilometres in six appearances in group E.

The deal was clearly advanced by then, however, and Klopp is confident that Minamino can perform an important role in the second half of the season with his own demands of players mirrored by those of Red Bull football empire.

Naby Keïta and Sadio Mané both saw their careers take a leap forward at Salzburg having been signed by German sporting director Ralf Rangnick, whom Klopp regards as being a big influence on his coaching career.

“You are educating great players here in Salzburg,” said Klopp after the win in the Red Bull Arena which sealed the club’s progress into the last 16 of the competition as winners of group E.

They will be seeded and could now face Real Madrid, Atalanta, Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund or Lyons in Monday’s draw.

A change in Uefa’s guidelines before the 2018-19 season saw the “cup-tied rule” removed, which would allow Minamino to play in the Champions League knockout stages for a new club.

Liverpool have not tended to sign players in January in recent seasons and there have been only two in Klopp’s tenure to date.

Marko Grujic joined from Red Star Belgrade for £5.1million in January 2016 and is currently on loan at Hertha Berlin. Virgil van Dijk came from Southampton for an initial £70 million in January 2018.

The willingness to break that normal strategy owes much to the work of Edwards, head of recruitment Dave Fallows and chief scout Barry Hunter in seemingly establishing Minamino’s get-out clause ahead of other clubs.

United have been tracking Minamino along with 19-year-old team-mate Erling Haaland, whose €20 million get-out clause has been widely known.

Another interested party was Mönchengladbach, top of the Bundesliga and whose coach Marco Rose worked with Minamino at Salzburg before his departure to the German club in the summer. AC Milan also dispatched scouts to watch the Salzburg-Liverpool tie with Minamino in mind.

The Wolverhampton Wanderers sporting director, Kevin Thelwell, was also present but he is understood to have been watching South Korean forward Hee-Chan Hwang before a potential move next summer.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/liverpool-close-on-red-bull-salzburg-star-takumi-minamino-and-can-sign-him-for-just-7-25m-8zzkc9knv

He ll be a happy camper getting another crack atCL glory not to mention PL

Where’s he going to play? So far all the players coming into the team; Origi, Shaq, Keita, Ox etc are all delivering, getting goals of assists but then not certain to play the next game. Not forgetting likes of Gini and Hendo too. Competition for places is already high so he must have something about him. Probably will spell the end of Lallana.

Gonna be honest, haven't seen much of this guy.
But if he turns out to be a player for less than 8mill, will be another excellent piece of business.
Like also that we're looking to sign someone in Jan - fresh face in camp to keep things bubbling, little bit of extra incentive for the existing players to push hard, and statement that we're not happy with the status quo and want to keep getting stronger.

January 1st pending medical and personal terms.

Lovely.

https://twitter.com/JamesPearceLFC/status/1205171604721942528?s=19

Oh, and gone are the days when we'd spend weeks and months linked to a player, discuss it on here ad nauseum, make an offer, only to be pipped by the Arse or whoever - those days are just a bad memory.
Now we just hear guys have signed, no fuss, no dickin around.
Huge improvements on AND off the field

His shirt sales in the Far East will cover his transfer fee in no time too, effectively a free player.

And when’s Edwards getting a statue!?

So the word is that some of our players came to Klopp after the game and told him we should sign this kid...not knowing that the deal had already basically been done and dusted. That's awesome!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=share&v=pKTBF5Rr2cA&fbclid=IwAR0giOSgsAxcSfz7-sIn7qgJAbyvRlHk6AprA6sfleJgKXvvsgZRBMd3X4o


    Amazing skills

Hate repeating, but if you saw him in the first game at Anfield, you'd already know what a good player he is and definitely a good addition to the squad.

I think i'm turning Japanese

No wonder Klopp was grinning when this lad was getting a goal and assist against us and causing us so many issues.

Well we do very well to keep these things under wraps until they are basically done. Hopefully in 20 days he is a Liverpool player.

I'm as happy as the next person to avoid OVERpaying for a player, but the whole bit about bargains and good business if/when we sell him I'm not  nearly as concerned about. Is he going to be a player who helps us win trophies? If he is then it's a good deal to bring him in (barring something ridiculous re the price of course).

Brewster was  likely to be transferred anyway, but I wonder if it also means Shaqiri is likely to leave in the summer. I know he said he wants to stay this season (fine), but between this guy Origi, not sure how much opportunity will be out there for Shaq going forward.

😂

https://twitter.com/grizzkhan/status/1205205615074775045?s=21

Well we do very well to keep these things under wraps until they are basically done. Hopefully in 20 days he is a Liverpool player.

I'm as happy as the next person to avoid OVERpaying for a player, but the whole bit about bargains and good business if/when we sell him I'm not  nearly as concerned about. Is he going to be a player who helps us win trophies? If he is then it's a good deal to bring him in (barring something ridiculous re the price of course).

Brewster was  likely to be transferred anyway, but I wonder if it also means Shaqiri is likely to leave in the summer. I know he said he wants to stay this season (fine), but between this guy Origi, not sure how much opportunity will be out there for Shaq going forward.

Could see Shaq staying. Lallana will go and there’s a chance Milner could. I think someone is more likely to come in with an offer for Origi than Shaq. But none the less, it’s good to see we have good depth to the team and it’s only going to get better and who knows what will happen with more arrivals and departures in the summer.

Hate repeating, but if you saw him in the first game at Anfield, you'd already know what a good player he is and definitely a good addition to the squad.

Agree think I actually said it mid game whilst at Anfield stood out big time  very nimble and a nightmare to pick up

Watched a Japanese player on Salzburg make one particularly tenacious run at LFC's back four on Tuesday and my immediate thought at the time was: This is the kind of forward depth LFC should seek to bolster its ranks

Small world

PS.....not going to hurt future kit sales.
PSS....just need a Chinese player now

Is he going to sign and join in January or sign and stay with Salzburg until the summer?

Full tilt full time https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ImopUm70fmE