Liverpool fans may have seen little of Takumi Minamino so far to whet their appetite, but they can rest assured knowing the forward is already making a big impression down on the south coast.
The Japanese international must have wondered what he had let himself in for when Southampton crashed to a 9-0 defeat just 24 hours after his loan move was completed.
While Minamino didn't play in that game, he was involved in their disappointing 3-2 loss at Newcastle on Saturday.
However, from a Liverpool perspective, it was pleasing for Jurgen Klopp to see Minamino amongst the goalscorers on his debut, after his limited chances at Anfield.
And his new teammate Nathan Redmond believes Minamino has already showcased the ability he can bring to the Premier League in his brief time with the Saints.
“He’s settled in fine. The last couple of days in training, he’s showed his quality,” Redmond told the Daily Echo .
"He’s a really, really nice guy in terms of a human being as well. His quality was evident on Saturday with a great finish and we are going to need more of that.
"He provides competition in that he’s come here to play football."
The 26-year-old should fit in well under Ralph Hasenhuttl at Southampton, who favours a fast, high-pressing approach in similar vein to Klopp.
More importantly, Minamino will be given greater opportunities that he was not being afforded at Liverpool, with Hasenhuttl seemingly holding high expectations of what his new forward can contribute.
“Last winter I was really disappointed we could not get a player like him in, because he was coming from Salzburg and he went to Liverpool,” Hasenhuttl said.
Will Minamino be a hit at Southampton? Have your say below.
“I am sure he will fit to our game, because he knows all the habits we need, and that means we need to bring him to the position where he can help us the most and he must help us then with good decision-making, with good passes, with good dribbling and hopefully he scores a few goals for us, that would be helpful.
“He is a good guy, and you see immediately the quality he has on the ball. I think when he plays a proper game and helps us in every part of the game then we are more successful I think with him."
