This article is more than 9 months old

This article is more than 9 months old

Liverpool have announced the signing of the Red Bull Salzburg playmaker Takumi Minamino after he passed a medical.

The 24-year-old Japan international, who impressed in two Champions League matches against Jürgen Klopp’s side this season, is understood to have signed a four-and-a-half-year contract.

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He arrives for £7.25m after Liverpool activated his release clause last week. Minamino will officially become a Liverpool player on 1 January and will go straight into Klopp’s squad, meaning he could be involved in the FA Cup third-round tie at home to Everton on 5 January.

“It has been a dream, my dream, to become a Liverpool player, and I’m so excited that the moment has come true,” Minamino told Liverpool’s website.

“To play in the Premier League was one of my targets. I think this is the top-class league in the world; I was thinking if my career as a footballer progressed smoothly, some day I would be able to play in the Premier League.

“But I never thought I would be able to play in this team and I’m really happy about it. I’m looking forward to it.”

On his experience against Liverpool this season Minamino said: “From those games I learned this team has such a high level of technique and intensity.

“Their football is of such a high level and I did feel that they were the champions of the Champions League. Feeling that, it makes me feel even happier that I can play in this team. I’m really happy to be part of that team.

“My target is to win the Premier League and the Champions League, and to make good contributions to the team.”

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Klopp described Minamino as “a wonderful signing”, adding: “Takumi is a very quick, very clever player; he finds space between the lines. He is brave with the ball but also brave without the ball – a proper team player. He makes the best of himself for the benefit of others.

“His Champions League experience is a big bonus and coming from the club and organisation he does, we know he’ll be well coached, used to an elite environment and had all the right experiences. It is fantastic work by our football operations team.”