Takumi Minamino: “Playing Closest To the Goal is My Favourite Position”

26 year old Japanese forward Takumi Minamino has made eight appearances for Liverpool this season, and is working to keep his spirits high and performances strong.

“It is what professional players need to do and I don’t do anything special”, he said, speaking to liverpoolfc.com.

“Even though I play only limited amounts of game time, when I am given a chance I do my best to show my 100 per cent.

“In order to do so, I need to prepare for it. It is what professional players need to do. But, still, I am very glad that there are people who look at me and make good comments about me.”

Despite Jurgen Klopp banking on his versatility, he prefers to play upfront.

“Playing closest to the goal is my favourite position, I believe it is one of my roles to score goals.

“But the manager decides where I play, and it is good that he says that I can play in many positions because it is one of my advantages. I would like to play at a higher level in every position.”

In particular, he gains inspiration from teammates like Diogo Jota, who has made waves with plenty of goals ever since he joined from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

“It is obvious for everyone that he has fit this club”, said Minamino.

“The stats show it very clearly and also outside the stats, his work proves that he is one of the most important players in the club. Yes, this inspires me. There are a lot of great players in the team. It always helps me keep my motivation higher.”