Liverpool Will Lose Star Midfielder This Transfer Window

Liverpool have agreed to a deal to sell Japanese international Takumi Minamino to Monaco this summer, according to The Athletic.

The fee is around €12m with an added €3m in bonuses and is subject to a medical as the forward is currently with his national team.

Minamino arrived at Anfield for a measly £7.25m deal in January 2020, meaning the Reds will make a substantial profit on the former RB Salzburg man.

He was part of Jesse Marsch’s Salzburg side who lost 4-3 and 2-0 to Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League group stages, in a formidable trio alongside Hwang Hee-Chan and Erling Haaland.

The midfielder scored 14 times in 55 appearances for the Reds, including 10 this campaign in all competitions.

In particular, he impressed in the cup competitions, with only three of his 14 Reds strikes coming in the Premier League due to lack of game time.

This season he top-scored in both the FA Cup and League Cup for Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp’s side won both competitions.

In the Carabao Cup, he bagged two against Norwich, with one each against Preston and that last-minute equaliser against Leicester, whilst the Canaries were victims again to two Takumi strikes in the FA Cup alongside Cardiff City.

Despite his performances, Minamino will leave the club as a fringe player who failed to break into the first team - Jurgen Klopp spoke in March about how difficult it was to leave the 27-year-old out of his lineups.

"It is incredibly hard for him and for me as well because it is really tough these kinds of things. Taki is in an incredible moment."

His move to Ligue 1 should allow the versatile forward more playing time as his career progresses into its prime years.

Monaco do have options in the forward areas, with Wissam Ben Yedder the star, but Minamino’s arrival could see the likes of Nany Diatta and Gelson Martins sweat over their game time.

He will leave Anfield with fond memories of three domestic trophies, and will be remembered in good spirits by Reds supporters.