Jurgen Klopp is confident Takumi Minamino will hit the ground running at Liverpool – but admits the Reds are unlikely to complete any more business in the transfer window.
Minamino officially became a Liverpool player on Wednesday after completing a £7.25million move from Red Bull Salzburg.
The 24-year-old , but is ineligible for Thursday's Premier League visit of Sheffield United having not been registered in time for the midweek round of games.
The Japan international is instead poised for a debut in Sunday's FA Cup third round tie at home to Everton, with Klopp having revealed the message he gave the new boy.
“That's the little talk we had: we really signed Takumi Minamino from Salzburg, the guy who played against us like crazy, who was like crazy,” said the Reds boss.
“Just be that and everything will be fine. We signed the player he was at Salzburg so he doesn't have to change in the moment, just be who you are and then we start working on that and I am looking forward to it.
“In this period of the season especially there will not be 15 weeks until we use him. Is he then the finished article in March? I don't know.
“It would be nice if you could give him some time. We have some of the best players in the world but we didn't bring him in to accept 'I am number five, six, seven or eight (in line)'.
“He can play different positions. I don't know where he starts when he starts but I don't have to know it in this moment. We can work on that.
“We will not start filling him now with information immediately, 'you have to do this and that', we want him to be as natural as possible.
“We start learning about each other from now on. He will have all the time he needs but how much time he needs I have no idea.”
Minamino's integration has been helped by Liverpool's squad already containing fellow former Salzburg players Sadio Mane and Naby Keita, who both with the new signing's locker space between the two players.
And Klopp added: “Is he in contention for Everton? Of course.
“This time we are not allowed but from the next moment on we are thinking about putting him in the squad.
“He was here yesterday (Tuesday), we had a light session and he enjoyed it a lot.
“The boys were incredible with him: Sadio and Naby with the Salzburg DNA were really nice.
“If I would like to be a new player I'd like to be a new player in that group because they welcome you with open arms. I think he felt that, not sure he was surprised but he felt it.
“Communication-wise it is really good, his English is absolutely okay but the German is really good. It doesn't help the team too much but (it does) me.”
As well as snapping up Minamino, Liverpool have recalled Nat Phillips on loan from Stuttgart on what is expected to be a temporary basis before the German league resumes at the end of the month.
Klopp, though, doesn't expect there to be any more business during the January transfer window.
“I think every year we have the same situation when I get asked 'Would you sign a centre-half?'” he said.
“(I would answer) Yes – then in two weeks 'No'.
“It is always tricky. We will probably not be too busy in the transfer window, we will see but it is unlikely.”
