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Examination of Premier League Rules Explains Why Takumi Minamino Can't Play vs Sheffield United

​Liverpool's latest signing Takumi Minamino will not be able to feature when the Reds take on Sheffield United this Thursday at Anfield.

The Japan international was signed for £7.25m from RB Salzburg following his impressive Champions League displays, chiefly against Liverpool.

Minamino may be Jurgen Klopp's only signing of the January window and was brought in to deepen the squad, as well as challenge for a place in the starting lineup.

However, the 24-year-old will have to wait before featuring for the Reds, due to ​Premier League rules stopping him from playing against Sheffield United in the first round of 2020.

Klopp had mentioned after ​Liverpool's 1-0 win over Wolves on Sunday that he was hopeful of having two extra players by the time their next Premier League game rolled around, including Minamino and Nathaniel Phillips - who he recalled from his Stuttgart loan.

"For the next game we’ll maybe have two more players," said Klopp. "Maybe Nat Phillips will be here and Takumi [Minamino]. We have to see how he is after the winter break, he trained obviously, but not with the team."


However, Minamino won't be available, as ​Premier League rules state: "New players signed on 1-2 January will not be eligible for Matchweek 21. But they can be made available for the following Matchweeks as clubs are permitted to make changes to their squad lists throughout the January window."


Therefore, it's more likely that Minamino will make his Liverpool debut in the glamour tie of the FA Cup third round when the Reds host Merseyside rivals Everton on 5th January - a fixture they emphatically won 5-2 earlier in the campaign.

FBL-ENG-PR-LIVERPOOL-WOLVES

The world champions sustained their impressive winning run at home to Wolves on Sunday, ​courtesy of a narrow 1-0 victory with VAR once again taking centre stage. The Reds were fortunate to earn all three points, but the victory ensured that they would finish 2019 on a high, 13 points clear of second place with a game in hand.


After the match, Klopp said: "It was a tough game - I expected it to be honest. If there is a team who is not fussed about playing two games in 48 hours, it is ​Wolves."


He added: "Nuno has a sensational bunch of players there and he doesn't make a lot of changes. They play Thursday-Sunday-Thursday all throughout the season so they are used to a tough rhythm."


Source : 90min