Takumi Minamino will be able to play in the Champions League for Liverpool in he joins the club in January.
Minamino, the Japan international, has been targeted by the Reds following his impressive displays against Jurgen Klopp’s side in the very same competition for Red Bull Salzburg this season.
Playing alongside Hwang-Hee Chan and Erling Haaland, the 24-year-old has scored nine goals and created 11 more in 22 appearances for the Austrian side this term.
The Salzburg star is set to arrive at Anfield next month for a cut-price fee, with his release clause just £7.25million.
And he could now be part of the Reds squad that faces Atletico Madrid in the last 16 after the draw was announced on Monday.
Previously, any player who had already played for another club in the group stages was unable to feature for another side in the competition in the same season.
However, despite being a regular for Red Bull during the group stages, Minamino will be allowed to line up for Liverpool in Europe due to a change in the Champions League rules.
Here's the offical UEFA rule which stipulates he is free to play in the UCL:
- 45.01 As of the round of 16, a club may register a maximum of three new eligible players for the remaining matches in the current competition. Such registration must be completed by 1 February 2019 (24.00CET) at the latest. This deadline cannot be extended.
- 45.02 Any or all of the players from the above quota of three may have been fielded for another club in the qualifying phase, play-offs or group stage of the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League.
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