“A new team”- 27-year-old star expresses excitement at new challenge after leaving Liverpool

Takumi Minamino reveals AS Monaco excitement after Liverpool transfer as he visits Portugal for pre-season

Takumi Minamino is longer a Liverpool player. AS Monaco had a £15.4m bid including add-ons accepted for him last month, which ended the Japanese international’s short stay with us.

Minamino was underappreciated at LFC but was often impressive when brought on in games. He was especially useful in cup games- just take last season for example.

There was an understanding that he would not be a first-choice forward for the club. Jurgen Klopp instead played him more in the EFL Cup and the FA Cup.

The former RB Salzburg star excelled at the challenge and was our top scorer in both competitions as the Reds lifted both the cups against Chelsea at Wembley. Now at Monaco, Minamino has a new challenge ahead of him.

He can expect more playing time there- in a league new to him, and amongst new teammates. Minamino has now joined up with his new teammates in Portugal for their pre-season tour, and he says (as quoted by Liverpool Echo):

“It’s a new challenge for me, a new team, a new country, a new championship: Ligue 1. I am very excited about the idea to join the team.”

Minamino may have won us the FA Cup, but the cameras weren’t really on him after Liverpool’s triumph in both penalty shoot-outs. Kostas Tsimikas’ kick got him the headlines in the FA Cup final.

While it was Kepa Arrizabalaga’s penalty miss that was the talk of the town in the EFL Cup final. But then again, it must be understood that teams need players like him.

No club can keep starting all their players in big games. With Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and the likes of Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota, it was never going to be easy for the Japanese international.

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Yes, he could have had more chances- especially in games where both Mo and Mane were not performing. But one can argue that appeasing squad members cannot be prioritised over the club’s chances of success.