Southampton make 11th-hour swoop for Liverpool attacker Takumi Minamino as Japan star leaves Anfield on loan for the rest of the season having been unhappy at lack of first-team chances
- Southampton have made a last-minute swoop for Liverpool's Takumi Minamino
- Saints have signed 26-year-old Japanese attacker on loan until end of season
- He has played only six minutes in the Premier League since December 19
- Shane Long has departed St Mary's, moving on loan to Bournemouth
Southampton have completed a stunning late move to sign Liverpool's Japan international midfielder Takumi Minamino on loan for the rest of the season.
The move for the 26-year-old, who signed for Liverpool from RB Salzburg in a £7.25m deal in December 2019 and made his debut the following month, comes after the Saints failed in an attempt to sign Arsenal's Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Liverpool full-back Neco Williams.
Minamino has played only six minutes of Premier League football since scoring in Liverpool's 7-0 win at Crystal Palace in December and has been frustrated at his lack of opportunities.
![Southampton confirmed the late swoop for the 26-year-old on deadline day](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/02/02/01/38762496-9211927-image-a-35_1612228263837.jpg)
Southampton confirmed a late swoop for Takumi Minamino from Liverpool on deadline day
![Southampton have made a sensational swoop for Liverpool attacker Takumi Minamino on loan](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/02/02/00/38754420-9211927-Southampton_are_making_a_sensational_swoop_for_Liverpool_attacke-a-26_1612226448909.jpg)
![Minamino has struggled for minutes under Jurgen Klopp](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/02/02/00/38761666-9211927-image-m-25_1612226442190.jpg)
Southampton have made a sensational swoop for Liverpool attacker Takumi Minamino on loan
The loan fee is reported to be £500,000, with Southampton covering the Japan international's wages, but there is no option to buy with Jurgen Klopp determined that the Japan international gets a run of games in the Premier League, according to The Athletic.
Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl said: 'I am very pleased to welcome Takumi to our squad for the rest of this season.
'He will help provide another good attacking option, and is importantly the right profile of player for us.
'This will give us some additional depth in our squad at an important time, and I am looking forward to beginning work with him on the training pitch.'
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/02/02/00/38761664-9211927-image-a-27_1612226470775.jpg)
Minamino has played only six minutes of Premier League football since December 19
Minamino is the club's only arrival of the January window in a relatively quiet month for Hasenhuttl's side.
Southampton had been trying to secure a left-back before the window closed. The move has allowed Shane Long to leave St Mary's for south coast rivals Bournemouth.
The 34-year-old has moved on loan to the Cherries until the end of the season, but The Athletic report that there is no obligation to buy.
![Minamino's arrival allows Shane Long to leave St Mary's for south coast rivals Bournemouth](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/02/02/00/38761714-9211927-image-a-29_1612226540873.jpg)
Minamino's arrival allows Shane Long to leave St Mary's for south coast rivals Bournemouth
Earlier in the day, the Reds completed their shock £2million deal for Preston centre-back Ben Davies with Jurgen Klopp needing cover in defence following long-term injuries to Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez.
Defender Ozan Kabak also joined in the final hours of Deadline day on loan from Schalke until the end of the season.
The Premier League champions, who confirmed that Joel Matip became their third centre-back to be ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering an ankle ligament injury at Spurs last week, have an option to buy Kabak for £18million after the current campaign.
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