Southampton had Liverpool bid for ‘important’ ace rejected before Takumi Minamino transfer

Liverpool rejected an approach from Southampton for right-back Neco Williams on transfer deadline day before the Saints agreed a deal to land Takumi Minamino on loan from Anfield. Minamino has joined the Saints on a six-month loan deal at the cost of £500,000 after discussions were held throughout Monday, but there is no option to make the deal permanent.

Liverpool themselves completed two additions before the window closed at 11pm, bringing centre-backs Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak to Merseyside.

And they agreed several exits too with Sepp van den Berg joining Preston North End, from whom Davies was signed, on loan.

By far the most high-profile departure is that of Minamino to St Mary’s as the attacker, only signed from Red Bull Salzburg 12 months ago, goes out in search of valuable game-time.

A deal sheet was submitted at 11pm last night to extend the time Southampton had to seal their swoop by two hours and the Japan international’s move was confirmed at 1am.

Minamino will join the Saints squad at their hotel in Manchester as they prepare to face Manchester United this evening at Old Trafford, though he is not eligible to be involved.

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The 26-year-old attacker has only played six minutes in the Premier League under Jurgen Klopp this season since scoring against Crystal Palace on his last top-flight start on December 19.

But if Southampton had have had their way, they would also have brought Liverpool academy graduate Williams to the south coast on loan.

The teenager has only made two Premier League starts for the reigning champions this season and has not played since coming on for the final 20 minutes of the draw at Fulham in mid-December.

He has been an unused substitute eight times since then and with Trent Alexander-Arnold now having rediscovered his form in Liverpool’s past two matches, is unlikely to start any time soon.

Yet Sky Sports News say a loan offer from Southampton for the Wales international was rejected because he is deemed too important by Klopp and co.

James Milner is the only other player in the squad with experience of playing in the position and with midfielders Jordan Henderson and Fabinho having been required to play in central defence, Milner is needed in the middle.

Southampton’s first-choice right-back Kyle Walker-Peters is currently out injured with James Ward-Prowse playing there against Aston Villa last time out.

Moves for Arsenal’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Manchester United’s Brandon Williams and Tottenham’s Japhet Tanganga all failed on deadline day in addition to the attempt to sign Williams.

But Liverpool need Williams on standby to feature should Alexander-Arnold need a rest or suffer an injury with plenty of games still to play this term.

The Welshman came in for criticism from some supporters on social media earlier this season after some difficult displays and said in a recent interview with the Independent: “I don’t think any 19-year-old should be getting stick like that.

“I haven’t got the experience, it’s always going to be tough coming into one of the best teams in the world, I’m young and I’m learning and, of course, I’ll make mistakes.

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“I had some of the experienced lads around me like Virgil [van Dijk] and Hendo [Jordan Henderson]. They told me even the best players in the world get bad comments.

“They aren’t going to affect me. If they did, it’s only made me stronger and a better player.”

He added: “I look up to how Trent is now, coming through the academy,. It shows nothing is impossible with hard work, determination and commitment.

“I know it’s going to be hard to get in the team and play week-in week-out but I just have to take every chance I get and prove I’m capable of being Trent’s main back-up and that I’m always ready to step up.

“I learnt a lot from that run of games [when Alexander-Arnold was out injured earlier this season]. It can be difficult if you’re not playing for a few weeks to jump straight in.

“The standard and the intensity of the Premier League and Champions League is difficult but the main thing is to be mentally prepared. I felt like I started to find my feet.

“My aim now is just to keep proving to the manager that I’m good enough and keep getting better.

“There’s nowhere better to do that than at Liverpool with the best players and the best manager in the world.”

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