Jurgen Klopp wasn’t happy with the way his Liverpool players treated Takumi Minamino (Image: Getty)
Jurgen Klopp once condemned his Liverpool squad for mistreating Takumi Minamino – an espisode Arne Slot will be keen to avoid with new recruit Federico Chiesa. Klopp signed Minamino from Red Bull Salzburg in January 2020, but the Japan international lasted just two-and-half years at Anfield before leaving for Monaco.
Shortly after Minamino’s arrival, Klopp expressed clear discontent with the way his players were ignoring him during matches. Reflecting on Liverpool’s 2-0 loss to Chelsea in the FA Cup, the German noted: “Takumi had a really good game. We could have used him much more often.
“If Neco [Williams] sees him once or twice he was completely free at the edge [of the box], he shot the cross more or less. If he’d seen him, it would have helped.”
Liverpool were well-stacked in attacking areas back then – with the likes of Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino getting regular game-time – which may have made it hard for Minamino to gain his team-mates’ trust. A few years later, Klopp suggested that a lack of integration and on-field trust effectively led to Minamino’s departure.
“His contribution far outweighs the opportunities we were able to give, in terms of starting matches,” Klopp admitted. “He made us better each and every day he was with us – perfect attitude, winner’s mentality. His achievements here will stand the test of time.
“I’m sure there will be those who think it didn’t quite work out [at Liverpool]. I don’t accept that. An amazing professional. A super talented player. As a person, he is full of warmth and makes everyone feel positive. A manager’s dream, to be honest.”
Jurgen Klopp thought his Liverpool players ignored Takumi Minamino during matches (Image: Getty)
Fast forward to now, and Chiesa, 26, could be facing a similar situation. The Italian was one of two Liverpool summer signings, with goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili heading back to Valencia on loan before joining up with the Reds next season.
Fans will be hoping for an immediate impact, but it might take time for Chiesa to earn the trust of his team-mates. That said, Liverpool’s first team is a lot less well-established than it was during Minamino’s stint.
Salah is the only attacking stalwart left, and while the likes of Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo have shown flashes of brilliance, none of them have nailed down a starting spot. Moreover, the bulk of the club’s midfield have only been at Anfield for a year.
Federico Chiesa joined from Juventus last month (Image: Getty Images)
Chiesa, who arrived for a cut-price £10million last month, spent four years at Juventus. He started out at Fiorentina, and made over 150 appearances for the club before joining Juventus on loan in 2020. After two successive seasons in Turin he signed for the team permanently.
He went on to play 131 games for Juventus, scoring 32 goals. The winger has also earned 51 caps for Italy, and has seven international goals under his belt.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1948437/Jurgen-Klopp-annoyed-Liverpool-warning-Federico-Chiesa