
Takumi Minamino joined Southampton on a loan deal during the January transfer window but the Japanese international is set to return to Anfield at the end of the season.
Southampton have not had any talks regarding a permanent transfer and manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has indicated that the player will be on his way out of the club in the summer.
“We haven’t had any negotiations. We don’t even know what Liverpool thinks about the player in the summer,” Hasenhuttl told the Southern Daily Echo.
“The deal was to give him game time during the first half of the year when he is here.
“This is what we did definitely, until now, and hopefully he will get even more time to play.”
The 26 year old struggled to hold down a regular starting berth at Liverpool during the first half of the season but he has managed to make a positive impact at Southampton since joining the club.
The Japanese attacker has scored twice in six games for the Saints and it will be interesting to see if he can continue to impress for the Premier League side in the remaining matches of the season.
Minamino arrived at Anfield with great expectations having made quite an impression against Liverpool in the Champions League while playing for RB Salzburg.
It will be interesting to see if he can recapture his form next season and make his career at Anfield a success in the coming years.
