Japanese forward Takumi Minamino to join Liverpool

By Emre Asikci and Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - Liverpool will sign Japanese forward Takumi Minamino from Austria's Red Bull Salzburg in January, the English club announced on Thursday.

"Liverpool Football Club can confirm an agreement has been reached with Red Bull Salzburg for the transfer of Takumi Minamino. The Japan international will join the Reds on Jan. 1, 2020 having completed a medical check and signed a long-term contract with the European champions on Wednesday," Liverpool said on their website.

"It has been a dream, my dream to become a Liverpool player. And I’m so excited that the moment has come true. I’ve known about it for a while," Minamino remarked.

The 24-year-old will be the first Japanese player in the Reds' history.

Meanwhile Britain’s The Mirror reported that Liverpool will pay a £7.25 million ($9.51 million) transfer fee to Salzburg.

Throughout his career, Minamino played for Japan's Cerezo Osaka and Red Bull Salzburg in Autsria’s highest league, the Austrian Football Bundesliga.

He had 199 appearances for Salzburg, producing 64 goals and 44 assists.

Minamino is a Japanese international who scored 11 goals in 22 matches for his country.

- Few Japanese players in Premier League

Acquiring Japanese players is a rare habit in the English Premier League.

Shinji Okazaki, 33, helped Leicester City win the Premier League title in 2016. Shinji Kagawa was a Manchester United player from 2012 to 2014.

A former Japanese international Hidetoshi Nakata played for Bolton Wanderers in the 2005-2006 season.

Junichi Inamoto was an Arsenal and Fulham player in the early 2000s.

Now there are two Japanese players in the Premier League, Southampton defender Maya Yoshida and Yoshinori Muto of Newcastle United.