Takumi Minamino will undergo a medical at Liverpool on Wednesday ahead of his £7.25 million January transfer from Austrian champions FC Salzburg, with manager Jurgen Klopp planning to hand the forward his debut against Everton in the FA Cup on Jan 5.
Sources told ESPN how Liverpool beat Premier League rivals Manchester United to the Japan international’s signature by triggering the 24-year-old’s release clause following their Champions League victory against Salzburg last Tuesday.
And with the Austrian Bundesliga having closed down for its winter break, Minamino has flown into Liverpool in order to complete his medical and paperwork in time for his registration to be processed as soon as the January transfer window opens in England on Jan 1.
Although Liverpool face Sheffield United at Anfield on Jan 2., Klopp is not considering Minamino in his plans to face Chris Wilder’s team. But with Merseyside neighbours Everton due at Anfield three days later in the FA Cup third round, Klopp is keen for Minamino to kick-start his Liverpool career against the Goodison Park outfit.
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With Klopp and the bulk of Liverpool’s medical staff in Qatar for the FIFA Club World Cup — Liverpool face Mexican club Monterrey in the semifinal in Doha on Wednesday — Minamino will undergo his medical at the club’s Melwood training base under the supervision of the medical team who remained in England for the Carabao Cup quarterfinal defeat at Aston Villa on Tuesday.