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Jurgen Klopp heaps praise on Michael Edwards as Liverpool confirm new signing

Will Butcher

Thu 19 December 2019 9:45, UK

Jurgen Klopp has heaped praise on Liverpool chief executive Michael Edwards when talking to , after the Merseyside club completed a move to sign Takumi Minamino from RedBull Salzburg.

Minamino, 24, will join Liverpool on January 1 for a bargain £7.25million after Liverpool activated a hidden release clause in his Salzburg contract. It comes after the Japan international played against Liverpool twice earlier this season.

The 22-time Japan international has been in stunning form for Jesse Marsch’s side this season, scoring nine goals and creating another 11 in 22 league and cup appearances for Salzburg. He even scored at Anfield earlier in the season.

Speaking after the signing of Minamino from Qatar where the Reds are at the Club World Cup, Klopp heaped praise on Edwards who is believed to have landed such a bargain in Minamino – the same price Liverpool sold Ryan Kent to Rangers for.

“It is fantastic work by our football operations team in how they’ve handled this transfer. Michael Edwards and the team deserve a lot of credit,” . “This is fabulous news – a wonderful signing. We are really, really happy about this.”

TBR’s view – Edwards is a huge secret weapon in Liverpool armoury

To land a player like Minamino is a good signing, no matter what the fee. So to land his signature for a fee as small as £7.25million, Liverpool have produced a wonderful signing. It gives Minamino the chance to play without pressure of a big fee.

We have seen what a big-money move can do to a player. Nicolas Pepe has struggled at Arsenal since his £72million move from Lille, but for Minamino to join for a tenth of that, shows the Japanese ace can play without pressure.

It is a masterstroke from Edwards. He is quickly becoming a very important, yet understated weapon in Liverpool’s success.