EXCLUSIVE: RB Salzburg manager Jesse Marsch admits Takumi Minamino Liverpool transfer was 'way too cheap'.
Takumi Minamino’s former coach at Red Bull Salzburg, Jesse Marsch, remains one of the Japanese attacker's biggest fans.
The pair still converse via text message on a regular basis, and while Minamino is no longer a Red Bull Salzburg player, the principles that the American coach drilled into him during their time together certainly still remain.
Marsch accepts that his former star has not become a regular at Anfield yet - no-one would question that - but he has no doubt that he will do sooner rather than later.
Speaking exclusively on a special Blood Red podcast, the 46-year-old explained: "What you have right now at Liverpool is some of the best players in the world in this position.
"Taki is still young and he will need to adapt.
"He is not a purely explosive player like Sadio Mane or Mo Salah - he has physical qualities, but he is a really intelligent footballer. It may take time for everyone to fully appreciate his qualities, but it will come.
"We’ve seen it here - his ability to understand tactical systems, his ability to find attacking moments, be good around the goal, it’s all good.
"It may take a little bit of time but eventually it will come together for him."
Minamino is widely thought of as being a shy, reserved character in the Liverpool dressing room.
But that should not take away his determination for success at Anfield, where it is understood that he is enjoying life.
As March outlines: "He is a little quiet and he is not the most outgoing guy but he is a top, top class individual.
"He comes early and does work in the gym, he’s incredibly friendly with all of the players, and he is well-liked.
"He sees things quickly and he moves the ball quickly - that makes him a fun guy to play with because he understands the way the game works.
"He is happy [at Liverpool] - he has talked about training being good and the guys being good guys.
"Taki will only turn up every day and do everything possible to try to improve.
"We’ve texted and checked in on different things. I give him a hard time about learning better English because I had to learn so much German, and now it’s his turn to come to my side a little more!
"But he knows nothing will be given to him but he is willing to work for whatever - that’s his mentality."
There has been some debate over when Liverpool first made their move for Minamino. Fans called for the Japanese international to be signed after watching him at Anfield in October, and then he duly was two months later. And Marsch says that Liverpool, too, were impressed by his performance - though extensive scouting will have been done beforehand as well.
He says: "We didn’t hear from Liverpool until after the first game [at Anfield, in October].
"We are aware that Jurgen Klopp follows our club and our players and a lot of his philosophies are in line with how we play.
"So it makes sense that he is always keeping track of the players that come through Leipzig and Salzburg and play similar football."
A fee of £7.25 million, Minamino’s release clause, was paid to Salzburg for the Japanese’s services in January.
That deal seems an age ago now, but Minamino has only been a Liverpool player for five months, and there is still plenty of hope that he can fulfil his potential. If he does, Marsch has no doubt that he will, Minamino will be added to the long list of Michael Edwards bargain buys.
Marsch concedes: "The thing that hurt with Taki is that Liverpool got him way, way, way too cheap. But this is part of managing the market and managing player contracts.
"We always have here, with the scouting team and the sports director, they do an amazing job, and we always have the next generation of players here and ready to take the next step."
Finding his best position will be crucial to Minamino slotting into Liverpool’s team. So far, Klopp has tended to use him down the middle as a kind of false nine. Marsch, though, says there is another role that might suit him too.
The Salzburg boss concluded: "He won’t be the best at playing the position that Salah and Sadio play, because they are used in very explosive transition movements.
"I think he could be good in Roberto Firmino’s position where against the ball, he is ready to do some pressing, but then with the ball, he comes into almost a 10 position for build-up and gets in the box to score goals.
"Firmino is so good at it but I think that’s something Taki can do as well.
"And I think he can play the eight position that they play in the midfield, with the two wide spots where he’s ready to press and help pick up balls, but he’s also part of the build-up phases.
"Because he is so intelligent, I think either Firmino or the positions alongside the six in the system that they play in Liverpool would be good for him."
Liverpool have not yet seen the peak incarnation of Takumi Minamino. But the coach who knows him as well as anyone says they will do - and that Liverpool fans should be very excited.
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