Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool dressing room decision to help outcast that backfired on him

Takumi Minamino flopped at Liverpool despite Jurgen Klopp’s best efforts to help the Japan international settle in before an unsuccessful loan move to Southampton

Jurgen Klopp’s dressing room change to help the struggling Takumi Minamino didn’t have the desired effect as the forward failed to adapt at Liverpool.

Minamino signed for the Reds from Red Bull Salzburg in January 2020 after Liverpool took advantage of his £7.25million release clause. There was plenty of buzz around his arrival, with then-manager Klopp describing him as “classy” and “the best talent”.

There was an expectation that the Japan international would set Anfield alight and one day replace Roberto Firmino as the club’s centre forward. Klopp even tried to help him assimilate quicker by seating him between German-speaking players Sadio Mane and Naby Keita in the dressing room.

The idea was that Minamino, who was learning English, would still be able to communicate with former Salzburg stars Mane and Keita in German, helping him settle in at the club. “You know that you are part of the team, but because my English is not good enough yet their help has been really important,” Minamino told Liverpool’s official website.

“They are still helping me on some occasions and during the first days they taught me the team rules, things like what time the meetings started and how the team functions on a daily basis.”

Minamino’s debut season was difficult, having earned just five starts. He remained positive, however, admitting that he needed to find ways to “appeal to my teammates” and “win their trust”.

Yet he was continually used as a back-up option in the 2020/21 season and loaned out to Southampton in January 2021 in order to help him adapt to the Premier League. During his six month loan deal, he initially thrived by making nine starts, but soon found himself in and out of the side.

After returning to Anfield, Minamino mainly featured in domestic cup competitions, playing a key role in helping the Reds reach the League Cup and FA Cup finals but not featuring in either of the final victories. Having scored 10 goals in the cup competitions that season, he was left frustrated by the lack of opportunities.

In an interview with Sanspo, Minamino said he “felt motivated by regret and anger”. “Many of the games I played weren’t of interest to anyone,” Minamino said. “Even if I left the results, there wasn’t much response. I was trying to inspire myself to prove my worth. I was doing personal training other than team training. I was thinking that I would leave something behind when I went to the match mentally.

“I felt motivated by regret and anger every day. I’ve never had this much time as a player. It was difficult to maintain the condition and connect with my feelings. But it was a season that seemed to have grown. It was disappointing but fulfilling. At the same time, it makes sense to play an important game and leave a result, so it is said that I got out and got a result, but I do not think it was a big deal. I want to do my best to be a player who can produce results in important games.”

Unsurprisingly, Minamino was sold to Monaco that same month in a bid to receive the opportunities he so desperately wanted. However, he once again endured a tough first season in France, scoring just one goal. The ex-Liverpool starlet was even labelled the worst summer signing of the 2022/23 season in Ligue 1, being described by Quotidien Du Sport as “too frail physically and struggling in the intensity of the duels”.

By the 2023/24 season, Minamino finally looked to have found his feet at Monaco. Under new head coach Adi Hutter, who he previously worked with at Salzburg, Minamino began to play more centrally and contributed with nine Ligue 1 goals and six assists in 30 appearances.

This season, he has six goals and five assists in all competitions, finally getting the opportunities he once desired in the form of 33 appearances. Monaco are currently fourth in the table, while the 30-year-old will have the chance to watch his former clubs Liverpool and Southampton face off on Saturday at Anfield, prior to his own fixture at Angers.

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