It’s fair to say that Takumi Minamino hasn’t quite enjoyed the success at Liverpool that many initially predicted.
Although he was a low-risk investment by the Reds, joining for just £7.25m from Red Bull Salzburg two years ago, confidence was high based on Liverpool's stellar success in the transfer market that he could develop into a shrewd acquisition.
Yet he’s only really shown glimpses of his talent since joining Jurgen Klopp’s squad and he didn’t really benefit from what felt like a make or break loan move to Southampton 12 months ago.
Consequently, it wasn’t a huge surprise to see him linked with a move away from Anfield in last month’s transfer window, with Liverpool open to selling him for a price of £20m.
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Although he stayed, many expect that this could be the Japanese international’s final season at the club, barring any miraculous turnaround in form between now at the end of the season.
Indeed, the arrival of Luis Diaz and impending return of both Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane from the African Cup of Nations will see Minamino slip further down the pecking order at Anfield.
While he could be set to depart, it’ll be interesting to see whether the performances of an international compatriot of Minamino’s north of the border could attract any serious interest from Liverpool officials in the not-so-distant future.
On Wednesday night, Celtic attacker Reo Hatate put in a Man of the Match display in the Glasgow derby against Rangers, scoring two goals and assisting another in his side’s dominant 3-0 win over their fierce rivals.
The performance didn't go unnoticed on Merseyside, with Andy Robertson tweeting "Hatate a serious player" during the game.
Hatate only arrived at Celtic Park last month, and to most, he’s still somewhat of an unknown given that his football up until his Celtic switch has been played exclusively in Japan.
However, Celtic manager Ange Postecglou has excellent in-depth knowledge of the Japanese market thanks to his three-year spell in charge of Yokahama F Marinos, handing his club a crucial edge in terms of making use of a largely under-exploited market for players.
You can therefore be confident that based on Postecglou’s decision to bring him to the club, plus his performances with Celtic so far, Hatate has a very high ceiling.
Hatate’s impact has been almost instantaneous, his brace on Wednesday night meant he’s bagged four goals in his first four games, and in terms of a profile, he ticks a lot of Liverpool boxes.
Like Minamino, Hatate is extremely versatile, though a bit more adaptable from a defensive standpoint than the Liverpool man, able to play in central midfield, out on the left or even as a left-back.
He’s not the tallest at 5ft8in, or the most physically imposing, however he’s deceivingly strong, aided by both a low centre of gravity and steely determination.
All of that is further boosted by his standout technical talent, boasting great close control and an ability to play a wide range of short and long passes.
On top of this, the 24-year-old is also surprisingly skilful, highlighted by his success rate of 82% in his attempted dribbles since joining Celtic. That’s very impressive, even if it’s only over a short sample of matches.
It’s difficult to gauge at present if he’d be good enough to have an impact at a club with the quality Liverpool possess, yet his ceiling does look to be a high one.
Therefore as he continues to develop, don’t be shocked to see him land on Liverpool’s transfer radar.
