- Title: Klopp welcomes Minamino to team, debates changes to VAR
- Date: 1st January 2020
- Summary: LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UK (JANUARY 1, 2020) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL COACH JUERGEN KLOPP, ON NEW SIGNING TAKUMI MINAMINO, SAYING: "If I would like to be a new player, I would like to be a new player in that group (of Liverpool players), because they really welcome you with open arms. So that's really nice, I think he felt that, not sure he was surprised, but he felt it. Communications-wise he's really good, so his English is absolutely ok, but the German is really good, so it doesn't help the team too much, but me. So we can talk, we didn't do yesterday too much, just a little bit, because it was not important until he really settles and when we signed the player he was at Salzburg, so that means he doesn't have to change at the moment, just be who you are and then we start working on that, that's how it is, and I'm looking forward to it."
- Embargoed: 15th January 2020 15:20
- Keywords: Juergen Klopp Liverpool Premier League Takumi Minamino
- Location: LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UK / DOHA, QATAR
- City: LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UK / DOHA, QATAR
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA003BUCCC3J
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Liverpool coach Juergen Klopp said on Wednesday (January 1) latest signing Takumi Minamino was welcomed with open arms by teammates as he hopes he can quickly settle in with the league leaders.
The Japanese playmaker, 24, put pen to paper days in the week leading up to Christmas as he moved over from Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg.
The attacking midfielder has scored nine goals in 22 matches in all competitions this season and impressed Liverpool when the teams met in the Champions League group stage.
Klopp said he wasn't expecting any major additions to the squad during the January transfer window, as his team looks ahead to facing Sheffield United at Anfield on Thursday (January 2).
The German coach weighed in on the recent controversies surrounding VAR decisions ruling goals offside for minimal infringements. Klopp said he supported making the virtual lines used by VAR to judge a player's position to become thicker, returning the doubts to favour the attacking team and opening up the game.
Klopp's side are running away with what would be their first league title since the 1989-1990 season. They sit on top of the standings with 55 points, at least 10 points ahead of their nearest rivals.
(Production: Mussab Al-Khairalla) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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