Liverpool struck a couple of deals on deadline day, bringing in defenders Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak to bolster Jurgen Klopp’s back line.
The Reds did also offload a player before the deadline, as Takumi Minamino left the club on loan for a move to Southampton.
Klopp seemingly felt that Minamino would benefit from playing under Ralph Hasenhuttl at Southampton, where he should play more regularly and in a relatively similar style.
The Japanese attacker only joined Liverpool from Red Bull Salzburg last January, but has barely featured in the Premier League since his arrival.
Minamino, 26, was given his first start of the Saints on Saturday afternoon, featuring in the 3-2 defeat at Newcastle.
He marked his debut with a superb goal, and whilst Southampton ultimately lost, his goal was a glimpse of the quality he can offer.
Minamino needs to impress at Southampton in order to carve out a future at Liverpool, and Hasenhuttl offered an honest verdict on his display.
Speaking to the Daily Echo, Hasenhuttl called Minamino’s goal ‘fantastic’, but felt that the game wasn’t really for him towards the end of the match because Southampton went more direct, but still feels that he showed more than enough for the Saints.
“For Taki it’s good. I think it’s always good when you come in and immediately score. It was a fantastic goal, I think,” said Hasenhuttl. “He showed in some other movements also that he can help us in the 10 position.”
“It was tough in the end because it’s not his game – high balls in the box and he needs a little bit more space in the red zone. He showed that he can help us definitely,” he added.
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