Because 18 months in, the 26-year-old is already fighting for his Reds future.
That may seem harsh, but it is the truth. Having spent the second half of last season out on loan with Southampton, Minamino knows he faces a battle to convince Jurgen Klopp he can be a regular option going forward.
There were plenty of raised eyebrows when that loan move was confirmed during the final hours of the winter transfer window in February. Liverpool’s form at that point had dipped dramatically, their squad littered with injuries. Letting a first-teamer leave, even temporarily, seemed a somewhat bizarre call.
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