Takumi Minamino has sent a message to Liverpool fans after returning to Anfield with Monaco; the French team defeated Liverpool 3-2 in Sunday's preseason friendly
Takumi Minamino of AS Monaco celebrates winning during a UEFA Champions League match
Takumi Minamino returned to Anfield with Monaco(Image: Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)
Former Liverpool attacker Takumi Minamino has sent a message to Liverpool fans as he returns to Anfield with Monaco.
The Japan international represented the Reds between 2020 and 2022, having joined the club from RB Salzburg for a nominal fee of £7.2 million ($9.7 million). During his time with Liverpool, he scored 14 goals and registered three assists across 55 appearances in all competitions.
He departed Liverpool in the summer of 2022 to join Ligue 1 side Monaco for a fee in the region of £15.5 million ($20.8 million). He left as a Premier League and Carabao Cup winner, as well as a Champions League finalist.
Since joining Monaco, he has scored 23 times in 120 appearances across all competitions. However, in 2025/26, the 31-year-old managed just 21 appearances in all competitions, scoring four goals in that time.
Disaster struck for the attacker in December last year when he sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
As a result, he missed Japan's World Cup campaign over the summer, in which the team reached the Round of 32 before it was narrowly beaten by Brazil.
Takumi Minamino of AS Monaco runs with the ball during a UEFA Champions League match
Takumi Minamino joined Monaco from Liverpool in the summer of 2022(Image: Photo by Francesco Scaccianoce/Getty Images)
As Monaco continues its preseason preparations, Minamino is still recovering from the knee injury. Although he was unable to feature in Sunday's friendly at Anfield, he was still present with his teammates for what he described as a 'special' return to his former club and home.
"Very happy to be back here," he said in a pre-match interview with LFC TV. "This is a very special place. Very happy to be back here…
"Unfortunately can’t play today because I’m injured, but it still feels special to be here at Anfield. I know the fans push the team to change the game…"
Liverpool has endured a mixed preseason campaign so far, with friendly victories over Sunderland and Wrexham. However, the Reds were comfortably beaten by Leeds in the final fixture of their U.S. tour earlier this month.
The match against Monaco, as well as next week's meeting with Como at Anfield, represents the final opportunity for Andoni Iraola to experiment with his players before the new season kicks off.
The Reds begin the campaign with an away trip to Newcastle on August 23.
A week later, they take on Nottingham Forest in the first home game of the season. Iraola will also face his former club, Bournemouth, in late September.
Sunday's game finished 3-2 to Monaco, with the Reds throwing away a two-goal lead.