Takumi Minamino is proof that patience is a virtue. To say that the Japanese international underwhelmed in his first season at Monaco would be an understatement. Following his move from Liverpool, he managed just a single goal in 25 appearances in all competitions. He wasn’t just statistically underwhelming. Minamino looked on a different wavelength to his teammates and lacking in form and confidence, he lost his place in the Japan national team.
There was a strong argument to be made that Monaco should cut their losses and move on in the summer, however, internally at the club, there was a belief that he would bounce back in his second season. That optimism, at the time, seemed relatively baseless, however, in time it has proved to be well-founded.
Minamino’s revival has been spectacular. With five goals, he has already easily beaten his goal tally from last season, and with four assists, he has already equalled last year’s total. His body language and general attitude on the pitch has been transformed. There was a meekness to his game; when things weren’t going his way, as they so often weren’t there was no revolt.
Hütter’s arrival aided Minamino’s integration
This season, he cuts a more determined figure. If he doesn’t receive the service that he wants from his teammates, he will now make it known. The improvement in this facet of his game, which is a major factor behind Minamino’s improvement, can be attributed to an integration that, whilst took time, now looks complete.
The Japanese international spoke at length about how the language barrier and the new culture were initially a shock. It took him a while to get over that, but with a full year in Monaco under his belt, he now looks at home. The arrival of Adi Hütter, a manager with whom Minamino worked whilst a youth player at Red Bull Salzburg, is a contributor to that integration.
Minamino’s efforts were awarded with the Player of the Month award for August, and whilst he is not as prolific as he was in those opening gameweeks, he is, alongside Aleksandr Golovin, the fulcrum of creativity for Monaco – a far cry from the liability that he represented for so many months. Minamino has now re-asserted his place in the Japan national team and his career has been reignited. Monaco’s patience and optimism have paid off.
