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Takumi Minamino has had an underwhelming time at Liverpool in his two years at the club and now the future looks uncertain for the Japanese international. Bought from RB Salzburg in 2020, first-team minutes have been hard to find for the Liverpool player. Minamino has a total of seven goals in 19 appearances across all competitions this season for the Reds.
Overall, the Japanese winger has made 50 appearances for Liverpool, and only 19 of them have been starts. He even spent half of the 2020-21 season on loan at Southampton, scoring twice in ten appearances for the club.
With Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané off to AFCON, Takumi Minamino was supposed to be Jurgen Klopp’s go-to man to lead the Liverpool attack. Yet January didn’t bring the Japanese player any luck and he even attracted loan offers from Monaco and Leeds United.
The loan offers were not entertained, and Minamino got another chance to save his Reds career. But the arrival of a new recruit and injured players making their return might complicate things for the Japan International.
Luis Diaz and Harvey Elliott to cause trouble for Takumi Minamino
Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané’s absence meant that Takumi Minamino could finally take up center stage. However, a horrible miss against a 10-men Arsenal in the dying minutes of the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final saw him overshadowed by Alex Oxlade Chamberlain.
Liverpool also went ahead and signed Porto winger Luis Diaz for an initial fee of £37 million. The recruitment of the Colombia international means direct competition for Minamino.
Another hurdle in Takumi Minamino’s path will be the return of Harvey Elliott. The young upcoming Liverpool star was injured back in September and is now back in action for the Reds. Both Elliot and Minamino were on the scoresheet as Liverpool beat Cardiff City 3-1 in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday.
Minamino started for the Reds on the night and was assisted by new signing Diaz for Liverpool's second goal. Though the FA Cup performance will give Minamino hope, once Salah and Mane return from the now-concluded AFCON, he will likely see his chances cut down even further. Elliot and Diaz will also create competition for the forward sports.
International break brings back a glimpse of hope for Minamino
January has not been a good month for Takumi Minamino so far, but February is already looking better. Japan needed a win to keep their World Cup 2022 qualification hopes alive, and their superstar Minamino to step up for them.
Liverpool's number 18 scored the opening goal in a 2-0 win against Saudi Arabia in World Cup Qualifiers on 1 February, bringing Japan to just one win from securing their place at the World Cup in Qatar later this year. Minamino claimed his 17th goal for Japan on the occasion.
While questions over his future with the Reds remain unanswered so far, Takumi Minamino's performances for Japan and his goal against Cardiff City in the FA Cup mean that he is still a part of Jurgen Klopp's plans.
