This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
According to The Telegraph, Liverpool have agreed a £7.25m deal to sign Red Bull Salzburg midfielder Takumi Minamino ahead of the January transfer window, but Reds player Harry Wilson could pay the ultimate price as a result.
The 22-year-old has spent essentially the last two years out on loan with Hull City, Derby County and now Bournemouth, and he surely would have been hoping to show Jurgen Klopp this season especially that he is ready to make his mark for the Merseyside outfit.
Playing in the Premier League for the Cherries is the perfect platform to do that, and he hasn’t done too badly either by scoring six goals in 14 top flight appearances despite only starting in 11 of those.
Given he also netted 18 times in 50 outings in all competitions for the Rams in 2018/19 too despite not playing as a striker, he should be firmly on Klopp’s radar – in fact, the attacker admitted as much after saying the German contacted him by text to congratulate him on his free-kick against Manchester City in August.
Of those matches where Transfermarkt has recorded his position this term, the Welshman has played on the right wing on 14 occasions.
It goes without saying that Wilson would face the impossible task of competing with Mo Salah for that position when he does return to Anfield at the end of the campaign, while Xherdan Shaqiri is seemingly ahead of him in the pecking order at the moment, too.
The main issue for Wilson is that Minamino, according to Transfermarkt, has also spent the majority of his time on the right side for Salzburg this season as well.
Should the 24-year-old arrive at Anfield in the New Year as seems likely, he may well go up against Salah if his record in recent months is anything to go by, or perhaps even in the most attacking role in the central midfield trio.
This all leaves Wilson in a sticky situation with Salah surely not going anywhere soon, and he could easily be third or fourth choice when he returns from his loan spell with Bournemouth.
Much harder than you’d think… Can you name Liverpool’s top scorers for each of these 25 seasons?
The Minamino deal may be one that Liverpool couldn’t afford to turn down given the bargain fee and the fact he already has nine goals and 11 assists in 2019/20, but you have to wonder whether it is their 22-year-old player who could end up paying the ultimate price of the move.
In other Liverpool news, Steven Gerrard has provided a two-word response on Instagram to Jurgen Klopp signing a new contract…
