Fulham want ‘incredible’ £17m player who started just one game last season

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Fulham are the latest Premier League club to show an interest in Takumi Minamino with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool demanding £17 million for the Japan international, as reported by the Daily Mail. 

For Minamino at Anfield, it feels like a case of the right man at the wrong time. 

In another era, the former Red Bull Salzburg star could have established himself as one of the first names on the Liverpool team sheet long ago. Unfortunately for him, his arrival on the banks of the Mersey came at a time in which arguably the most feared front three in world football – Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino were still at the peak of their powers. 

Since then, Liverpool have added the prolific Diogo Jota and the scintillating Luis Diaz to their ranks. As a result, Minamino started just one out of a possible 38 Premier League games as the Reds added yet another silver medal to their collection in 2021/22. A victim of Liverpool’s success, you could argue.

Could Fulham lure Takumi Minamino away from Liverpool?

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the futures of both Salah and the wantaway Mane, The Mail believe that Minamino plans to leave Anfield in pursuit of more regular first-team football elsewhere. Newly-promoted Fulham could certainly offer him that. 

In an intriguing twist of fate, the versatile, tactically flexible 27-year-old could fill a Fabio Carvalho-shaped void in Fulham’s free-flowing attack. Carvalho swapped Craven Cottage for Liverpool recently. 

“He looked extremely sharp and showed all the things he knows he has in him. A complete performance. It was top-class,” Klopp said after Minamino marked a rare start with two goals in March’s FA Cup triumph over Norwich City. 

In fact, Minamino actually provided more goals (10) than he started games (nine, in all competitions) last season. 

“His character is top class,” Klopp adds. “He was mobile, quick and technically he was incredible. All really good.”

The Mail believe that a goal-shy Wolves are interested too. Only Norwich, Watford and Burnley scored fewer Premier League goals than Bruno Lage’s side last term. Leeds United are long-time admires, while Southampton could offer their former loan star another spell at St Mary’s.