Need More Players To Defend, Liverpool Loan Takumi Minamino To Southampton

JAKARTA - Liverpool released Japanese national team (national team) player Takumi Minamino to Southampton on loan until the end of the season.

The attacking midfielder joined the Premier League champions in January last year from Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg for an estimated £ 7.25 million.

However, he rarely gets regular playing time after making just 31 appearances in all competitions for the Merseyside club and scoring four goals.

The Reds need more defenders than attack-type players. They are currently without center-backs Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez who were plagued by long-term injuries and received another blow when Joel Matip was forced off with ankle ligament injuries in their 3-1 league win at Tottenham Hotspur last week.

Jurgen Klopp strengthened his injury-hit back line by signing center-back Ben Davies from Championship side, Premier League second tier Preston North End on Monday.

British media have reported that the Premier League champions will pay Preston around two million pounds for the 25-year-old, who arrives at Anfield on a long-term contract.

Meanwhile, Southampton coach Ralph Hasenhuettl said the 26-year-old would be a good attacking option in the second half of the season.

"I am very pleased to welcome Takumi (Minamino) to our squad for the rest of the season," Hasenhuettl said on the club's website.

"This will both add to and deepen our squad at important times, and I can't wait to start working with him in training."

Southampton also confirmed striker Shane Long has been loaned to Championship side Bournemouth until the end of the season.

Defender Yan Valery will also play in the English second division for the remainder of the season after completing a loan spell at Birmingham City.

Southampton currently sit 11th in the Premier League and will visit Manchester United in the league on Wednesday.