Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is likely to throw new signing Takumi Minamino into the fray in Sunday’s FA Cup Merseyside derby at home to Everton but has stressed the Japan international needs time to adapt.

The £7.25million arrival from Red Bull Salzburg had his first training session with his new team-mates on Tuesday and is not eligible for Thursday’s Premier League match at home to Sheffield United because of registration regulations.

However, it seems likely he will be in contention for Sunday.

“We will not start filling him now with information immediately, ‘You have to do this and that’, we want him to be as natural as possible.

“It would be nice if you and all the other people would give him a bit of time.”

At this stage Minamino looks like being the only arrival for the runaway Premier League leaders in January.

“I think every year we have the same situation when I get asked ‘Would you sign a centre-half?’ Yes. Then in two weeks ‘No’,” said Klopp, who is down to just two fit senior central defenders in Joe Gomez and Virgil Van Dijk, with Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren not expected to return until later in the month.

“It is always tricky. We will probably not be too busy in the transfer window. We will see but it is unlikely.”