Takumi Minamino reflects on Liverpool’s decision to loan him out

Liverpool midfielder Takumi Minamino has opened up about his January move to Southampton.

The Japanese international joined the Premier League side on loan in January after making just two starts in the Premier League for the Reds this season.

Minamino has been quite impressive for the Saints since joining them in January and he has already managed to score a couple of goals for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

The player has admitted that he was surprised by Liverpool’s decision to loan him out to Southampton at the last moment.

“It was the last day [of the transfer window], after training,” Minamino told Southampton’s official website. “Some guys called me, and it just happened. I didn’t expect it at all, so I was probably the most surprised of anyone when I got the call.”

Minamino claims that he was surprised more than anybody else when he found out about the loan move to Southampton. The player also revealed that he spoke to the Southampton defender Maya Yoshida before his move to find out more about the club and the players.

Our view: Ideal move for all parties

The 26-year-old is highly talented but he has struggled to establish himself as a regular starter at Liverpool since his move from RB Salzburg. A player of his quality needs to play regular first-team football and the move to Southampton could not have been better timed for him.

Regular first-team action with the Premier League club will allow the Japanese international to regain his form and confidence. It will be interesting to see if he can force his way into Jurgen Klopp’s first-team plans next season.

There is no doubt that the Japanese midfielder is highly talented but he needs to adapt to the physical side of the Premier League in order to succeed at Liverpool.