RB Salzburg’s Japanese winger Takumi Minamino is set to have his medical at Liverpool today. This is according to both Fabrizio Romano as well as The Times’ Paul Joyce. Assuming that he passes his medical, the player will sign his contract with Klopp’s side later today.
Takumi Minamino to Have Liverpool Medical
Minamino on Merseyside
Takumi Minamino will have his medical at Liverpool today. According to Joyce, if there are “no hitches”, he will sign his Liverpool contract today. Minamino will then officially join the Reds at the beginning of the New Year.
Joyce also suggests that Minamino’s debut could come in the Merseyside derby with the Reds having been drawn to face Everton in the FA cup. If this is the case, Minamino will be hoping to have a similar impact to Virgil van Dijk on his debut in the corresponding fixture in the 2017/18 season.
A Rare January Signing
It has been rare for Liverpool to make signings in the January transfer window during Klopp’s tenure. So far under the German Liverpool have only signed van Dijk, Steven Caulker on loan and Marko Grujic in the January window. Of these, only van Dijk made an immediate impact on the team. Grujic has seen numerous loan spells out of Merseyside while Caulker, a centre-back, was most often used as an emergency striker.
This suggests that Klopp views Minamino as a player who can make an immediate impact on the team. The hope will be that he can aid Liverpool in their quest for silverware in the Champions League and Premier League. UEFA relaxed the cup-tied rule last season, allowing players to play for two teams in UEFA competitions. This helps make Minamino a more appealing signing than he may have been considered in previous seasons.
Main Photo
