Liverpool have officially confirmed the deal to sign 24-year-old Japanese playmaker Takumi Minamino from Red Bull Salzburg.
Liverpool have made an official statement to confirm that they have secured the services of Takumi Minamino. The 24-year-old Japanese playmaker will join the Premier League heavyweights from Red Bull Salzburg when the January transfer window opens next month.
Takumi Minamino has enjoyed five fruitful years with Red Bull Salzburg, having joined them from Cerezo Osaka in January 2015. The Japanese playmaker has always been a consistent contributor at Red Bull Arena but had been in the middle of his most productive campaign, with 9 goals and 11 assists in 22 appearances across all competitions.
We can confirm an agreement has been reached with @redbullsalzburg for the transfer of Takumi Minamino ?
リヴァプールフットボールクラブは南野拓実選手の移籍についてレッドブル・ザルツブルクと合意に達したことを発表する pic.twitter.com/2yH2N0v3Y1
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 19, 2019
Invariably, the player had been attracting a lot of interest from some of the best clubs in Europe, with arch rivals Manchester United and Liverpool among those that have been linked the most heavily. However, Liverpool have now prevailed in the race to sign Minamino.
The Reds have announced that they have a deal in place for Minamino to arrive at Anfield on January 1, when the winter transfer window opens. Liverpool will reportedly shell out £7.25 million to secure the services of the Japanese playmaker, with the amount being the release clause that was embedded in his Red Bull Salzburg contract.
Reports of Liverpool’s interest in Minamino had been swirling for some time now, but the move gathered pace on Wednesday, when claims of a medical surfaced. Now onboard at the Merseyside club, the 24-year-old playmaker has agreed a four-and-a-half-year deal running till the summer of 2024. And, the player expressed his delight at joining Liverpool in his upon his unveiling.
“It has been a dream, my dream to become a Liverpool player. And I’m so excited that the moment has come true. To play in the Premier League was one of my targets. I think this is the top-class league in the world; I was thinking if my career as a footballer progressed smoothly, someday I would be able to play in the Premier League.”
“But I never thought I would be able to play in this team and I’m really happy about it. I’m looking forward to it. My target is to win the Premier League and the Champions League, and to make good contributions to the team.”
A versatile forward who is also capable of filling in as a midfielder, Minamino’s acquisition enables Jurgen Klopp to switch between the 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 formations seamlessly. In a couple of weeks, the 24-year-old will be able to don the red of Liverpool for the first time, and it remains to be seen if he can continue his development at Anfield upon the turn of the year.
