Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has raved about Takumi Minamino whilst predicting that some fringe players will be leaving the club this summer.
Minamino joined Liverpool back in January 2020 but has struggled to really make a huge impact at Anfield.
The former Red Bull Salzburg star has only ever started four Premier League games for Liverpool; in fact, he’s started more Premier League games for Southampton!
Minamino, 27, hasn’t started a single league game this season and his total league minutes for the campaign stand at 89.
The Japanese international was already finding it difficult at Liverpool and it’s getting even harder.
Luis Diaz’s January move means Liverpool now have a strong set of five attackers; Diaz, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino.
How on earth does Minamino break into that attack? It sounds almost impossible for him to feature.
Klopp has now admitted to Sky Sports that he thinks it’s ‘incredibly hard’ for Minamino and Divock Origi right now, but feels Minamino is in an ‘incredible moment’.
Klopp is clearly happy with what he’s seeing from Minamino, but just can’t give him first-team action when so many other players are in the mix.
The German added that he is expecting fringe players – possibly like Minamino – top move on because they need first-team football elsewhere.
“It is incredibly hard for him and for me as well because it is really tough these kind of things. Taki is in an incredible moment,” said Klopp.
“It is unlikely with the size of the squad that we now stay exactly like this together. For sure, some of the players do not play often enough for their own understanding and we will see what will come in the summer and find solutions for those situations. But the core of the group has to stay together. There is no doubt about that,” he added.
Leeds United made a move to sign Minamino before the January transfer deadline but weren’t able to convince Liverpool to strike a deal.
Since then, Leeds have appointed Jesse Marsch as their new manager – a coach who worked with Minamino at Red Bull Salzburg.
That may make a new move for Minamino seem likely, with Klopp seemingly aware that he could move on this summer.
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