“We’re really happy, he was our priority” - Manager confirms signing of 27-year-old Liverpool star
AS Monaco manager Philippe Clement has expressed elation on landing priority transfer target Takumi Minamino from Liverpool.
A tweet by Fabrizio Romano reveals that the Reds will receive a fee of €15m with an extra €3m in add-ons.
Philippe Clement also revealed his excitement at Minamino's signing, stating that he was Monaco's priority signing this summer.
“We’re really happy, he was our priority”
The Japan international will join the Ligue 1 outfit in July and departs Liverpool having scored 14 goals and having provided three assists in 55 matches across competitions.
#transfers
Takumi Minamino deal, completed. He’s joining AS Monaco, permanent move from Liverpool now confirmed by Philippe Clement: “We’re really happy, he was our priority”. 🔴🇯🇵 #transfers
Liverpool will receive €15m plus €3m in add-ons. https://t.co/7dOfbydQFr
He recently complained about his disillusionment at Anfield due to his lack of opportunities. Minamino made notable contributions to the Reds but they mostly came in matches that were of little significance.
He addressed his complaints in an interview with Sanspo, saying:
“Many of the games I played weren’t of interest to anyone. 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 didn’t want to keep up with my body when I entered the game because I wasn’t in the game, so I did personal training with Plus Alpha. 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.”
The 27-year-old was reportedly in discussions with both Olympique Lyon and AS Monaco but did not seal a move to the Principality club.
Takumi Minamino was a victim of the high standard of Liverpool's attack
Minamino made a name for himself in Salzburg and garnered attention after passing a first-hand audition at Anfield with the Austrian giants.
His performance against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League group stage in 2019 convinced the club to sanction his purchase after activating his £7.25m release clause in January 2020.
However, he struggled for gametime and was sent on loan to Southampton exactly one year later.
The former Cerezo Osaka man returned to Anfield last season but made just one Premier League start in the entirety of the 2021-22 campaign.
weeks until the @premierleague is back!
6️⃣ weeks until the @premierleague is back! https://t.co/XlGdvJH2gq
Minamino always had the odds stacked against him to establish himself at Liverpool but he has a decent record in front of goal despite his limited gametime.
However, the quality available to Jurgen Klopp in attack meant he was unlikely to feature much.
The likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are among the very best players in the world. Minamino, alongside others like Divock Origi, were simply victims of the high standards at Anfield.