Liverpool forward Takumi Minamino could be sold as soon as this summer, just 18 months after arriving on Merseyside.
That’s according to Liverpool Echo journalist Paul Gorst, whilst answering questions from inquisitive Reds on Friday afternoon.
Asked what the future holds at Anfield for the 26-year-old Japanese ace, who spent the second half of the 2020/21 campaign on loan at Southampton, Gorst gave short shrift when delivering a relatively damning verdict.
According to Ralph Hasenhuttl, Southampton want to keep him. Liverpool are saying no decision has been made, but I suspect he will leave if they can get a decent fee for the Japan international.
The response was cited by Watch LFC on Twitter and unsurprisingly caused a stir amongst Kopites – plenty of whom might’ve thought Minamino would return to the Reds following Jurgen Klopp’s positive assessment earlier this year.
Signed from Red Bull Salzburg at the start of 2020 for just £7.25million (Sky Sports), the deal to bring the 28-cap star was a relatively low-risk transfer.
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This shouldn’t come as a huge surprise given the unsuccessful nature of Minamino’s year on Merseyside.
Despite boasting impressive versatility, the £10.8million valued man struggled to feature in Klopp’s plans at every given turn.
As the Reds go in search of their own summer transfer targets, needing to sell in order to do so, allowing Minamino to reignite a career elsewhere makes perfect sense.
With the Saints and Sevilla touted as potential suitors recently, Liverpool can be confident of making a tidy profit on their asset.
