Liverpool sign Takumi Minamino from Salzburg

Bengaluru, December 19: Premier League leaders Liverpool have confirmed the signing of striker Takumi Minamino from Austrian club FC Red Bull Salzburg for a reported £7.25m fee.

The Japan international will officially become a Reds player on January 1, 2020, after he finalised personal terms and passed a medical on Merseyside on Wednesday (December 19).

"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.

Our newest Red 🤩🔴https://t.co/Ery1nB5dXi

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 19, 2019

Minamino has faced Liverpool twice this season while lining up for Salzburg in the UEFA Champions League group-stage encounters.

"From those games I learned this team has such a high level of technique and intensity," he added.

The 24-year-old had joined Salzburg from J League club Cerezo Osaka in January, 2015, making 199 appearances so far, scoring 64 goals.

For the Samurai Blues, he has scored 11 goals from 22 appearances after making his debut in October, 2015.

Takumi had been on the radar of many top-notch clubs in Europe for a while before inking the deal with the UEFA Champions League winners.

Liverpool are currently perched on top of the Premier League standigs with 49 points from 17 games, a clear 10 ahead of nearest rivals Leicester City.

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Currently playing in the FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar where they will take on Copa Libertadores champions Flamengo of Brazil in the final on Saturday (December 21), Liverpool will return to Premier League action on the Boxing Day when they travel to Leicester.

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"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, someday 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," Takumi added.

(With inputs from LFC Media)