Southampton transfer news: Liverpool’s Takumi Minamino joins Saints on loan

Southampton completed the late loan signing of Liverpool’s Takumi Minamino. The Japan international will be with the Saints for the rest of the season.

The Minamino move was announced by the club in the early hours of Tuesday.

Minamino is expected to fill the squad gap left following Shane Long’s loan move to AFC Bournemouth on the same day.

“Takumi will help provide another good attacking option and is importantly the right profile of player for us,” said Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.

“This will give us some additional depth in our squad at an important time and I am looking forward to beginning work with him on the training pitch.”

Saints transfer news: Two Southampton players leave club on loan

The 26-year-old forward joined Liverpool in a transfer deal worth £7.25m from Red Bull Salzburg in January, 2020.

However, Minamino has only made four Premier League starts since moving to Anfield.

Minamino should find some minutes at Southampton with their mounting injury problems. The transfer window deadline day proved a difficult one for the club as they looked for temporary reinforcements in defence.

Southampton’s interest in the loan signing of Arsenal’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles quickly broke down as the player reportedly requested to play in midfield, rather than in defence.

While Saints were struggling to sign more defenders, one of their own left the club on loan. Yan Valery is switching the South Coast for West Midlands as he joined up with Birmingham City for the rest of the season to gain some valuable match experience.