'I won title with Liverpool but it didn't mean much – I'm happier now I've left'

Daily Mirror

26-05-2025

Takumi Minamino made history in the 2019/20 season by becoming the first Japanese player to pull on the red shirt of Liverpool, and won the Premier League title just months into his arrival at the club. The talented left winger caught the eye of the Anfield faithful during a group stage Champions League game with Red Bull Salzburg.
He scored and assisted in a narrow 4-3 defeat for the Austrian side in October 2019. Just weeks later, the Reds agreed a deal to sign Minamino in the January transfer window after triggering his £7.25million release clause.
Speaking about his joy at joining Liverpool at the time, the winger said: "It has been a dream, my dream to become a Liverpool player. And I'm so excited that the moment has come true."
After just 10 appearances in the league, Minamino joined the rest of the Liverpool squad in a historic moment, as they lifted the Premier League trophy for the first time in the modern era. The Reds' triumph was their first league trophy in 30 years, and was also one of the first celebrations to be had during the coronavirus pandemic.
However, Minamino felt undeserving of his medal, as he told Liverpool's official matchday programme in 2021 that his mid-season arrival had an impact on the celebrations. He said: "It isn't very easy to describe my feelings.
"Of course I was happy but at the same time I only played for the team for half the season and I was quite doubtful I had contributed to the team 100 per cent.
"When I lifted the trophy I was feeling proud but at the same time I thought that I needed to play well throughout a whole season and my aim is to hopefully do that and help the team to lift the trophy again this season."
Unfortunately, a key starting position in Liverpool's attacking line didn't materialise for Minamino, who went on to make 55 appearances across a further two seasons for the club. During this time, he scored 14 goals and assisted three times, while also going out on loan to fellow Premier League side at the time, Southampton.
The Japanese international made 10 appearances for the Saints, scoring twice before rejoining Liverpool for the 2021/22 season.
It wasn't until the summer of 2022 that Minamino found solace elsewhere, leaving the Premier League behind for Ligue 1 club AS Monaco in a deal worth up to £15.5m.
Since then, the 30-year-old has made 99 appearances for Monaco, scoring 19 goals and assisting 15 times from a more central attacking role. While no silverware has come for Minamino since leaving the Reds, he told Monaco's official website in March this year that he feels "very good" at the club, and wants to continue his career there for as long as he can.
Minamino, whose contract with the Ligue 1 club now runs until 2027, said: "I am very happy to have extended with AS Monaco because I want to stay here as long as possible. The Club has shown that it believes in me by offering me this new contract, it is the most important thing in my eyes. I feel good in my personal life, in the Club and with the staff."
He added: "I feel very good in Monaco, I like the city and the people. I have several Japanese friends who live near here even if the most important thing for me is football, that's why I wanted to extend.
"Besides that, I have a few favourite restaurants in the Principality and I love going to the Tête de Chien where the view of Monaco is simply magnificent."
With a Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup under his arm, Minamino was undoubtedly successful in England when it came to silverware.
However, the veteran winger seems to value his personal success on the pitch above all. He is continuing a productive career outside the glamour of the Premier League, and he is happy doing so.
He'll have no doubt, though, been smiling watching his old team lift the Premier League trophy at Anfield on Sunday, as Liverpool finally got their hands on it to round off an impressive debut season for manager Arne Slot.
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