The next Takumi Minamino arrives at Liverpool The next Takumi Minamino has arrived at Liverpool. Takumi Minamino may not have been a Liverpool superstar, but he became something almost just as valuable - a player who could always be relied on. The Japanese forward arrived at Anfield with a reputation for creativity, intelligence and a relentless work ethic, and while he never became a regular starter, he quickly earned the respect and affection of the Liverpool faithful. He understood his role perfectly and embraced every opportunity that came his way. Minamino was the definition of a reliable squad player. Whenever he was called upon, he brought energy, quality and a willingness to fight for the team. He was never the headline name, but he was the type of player every successful side needs - someone who could step in without disrupting the rhythm of the team and score important goals off the bench. His biggest contributions came in cup competitions. During Liverpool's successful runs in the FA Cup and League Cup, Minamino played a crucial role, scoring goals and helping the club navigate the early rounds. His performances gave Liverpool the depth required to compete on multiple fronts. Players like Minamino are often underrated, but they are essential. Since his departure, Liverpool have struggled to find someone who provides that same combination of reliability, professionalism and quality from the squad. He was not a star, but he was a winner - and Anfield loved him for that. In order to win league titles and compete on all fronts Liverpool need these kinds of players. It's what was missing from Arne Slot's previous squads. He didn't really make the best use of who was available in his first season which forced the fringe players to leave Liverpool for pastures new. Ultimately, that left Slot with very little depth in his second season and he rued that depth because ultimately it cost him his job. Andoni Iraola cannot make the same mistake and this summer's pre-season is a great opportunity for him to get acquainted with some of Liverpool's current fringe players. There's been a fair few impressive performances on the tour so far. Centre-backs Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Mor Talla Ndiaye have both caught the eye. But arguably there is one player who might have gained the most from the pre-season campaign so far.
© IMAGO - Lewis Koumas Liverpool
Right now there is a real gap in the attack. Hugo Ekitike is out injured, Federico Chiesa's future remains up in the air and Mohamed Salah has left the club. Who knows what will happen with Cody Gakpo who has attracted the attention of Tottenham. Liverpool have just Alexander Isak, Rio Ngumoha and Victor Munoz, who are guaranteed to be involved in the opening Premier League fixture against Newcastle United. This has given the opportunity for Liverpool's fringe attackers to step-up and among them the one who has impressed the most has been Lewis Koumas . The 20-year-old Welsh attacker has grabbed his chance with both hands scoring in Iraola's first game against Sunderland and putting in another great performance in the Spaniard's second game against Wrexham. Koumas is a real handful. He presses the opposition really well and he makes really smart runs in behind the defence. He's able to find himself in space a lot of the times and cause problems with his movement while his team are in or out of possession. His relentless energy makes him perfectly suited to Iraola's style of play and given everything he has shown in pre-season it looks like he could just be the perfect back-up for Liverpool next season. In our opinion, in Koumas the next Minamino has arrived at Liverpool, and he could be just as valuable as the Japanese cult hero once was.
