Takumi Minamino: Jurgen Klopp hails ‘wonderful signing’ as Liverpool complete £7.25m deal

‘He makes the best of himself for the benefit of others’

(Getty)

Jurgen Klopp hailed Takumi Minamino as a “wonderful signing” after Liverpool confirmed the £7.25m signing of the forward from Red Bull Salzburg.

The Japanese international completed his medical on Wednesday before the transfer was announced this morning with Minamino describing the move as a “dream”.

“This is fabulous news – a wonderful signing. We are really, really happy about this,” Klopp said. “Our supporters have had the chance to see him close up recently so I don’t need to sing too loudly about his qualities as they are already known.

“Takumi is a very quick, very clever player, he finds space between the lines. He is brave with the ball but also brave without the ball – a proper team player. He makes the best of himself for the benefit of others.

“His Champions League experience is a big bonus and coming from the club and organisation he does, we know he’ll be well-coached, used to an elite environment and had all the right experiences.

Klopp also praised Liverpool’s hierarchy and Salzburg for reaching a deal so smoothly, despite interest from a host of other clubs.

“It is fantastic work by our football operations team in how they’ve handled this transfer. Michael Edwards and the team deserve a lot of credit.

“It’s not hard to see why Salzburg is a favoured destination for players with real talent and hunger. From our experiences dealing with, and facing, Salzburg on and off the pitch in recent months, their reputation as a benchmark modern European club will only grow.

“I’m sure all the Liverpool supporters will go out of their way to make Takumi feel at home in our amazing city and club.

“I am also pretty sure as of now we have added to our numbers of the LFC family in Japan specifically. For those who follow us now because we have one of the country’s most exciting talents, I say welcome – it’s a special club to be part of.”