Liverpool may sanction the exit of midfielder Wataru Endo during the January transfer window, according to a new update regarding his future.
The Japanese became something of a cult hero in his first season as a Reds player, arriving as a surprise signing in 2023 but producing some impressive performances.
Endo’s second year in a Liverpool shirt has been less productive, however, with Arne Slot making it clear that he sees him as a squad player and nothing more.
The 31-year-old hasn’t started a single game in the Premier League or Champions League in 2024/25, playing only one minute in the latter, with the likes of Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai all firmly ahead of him in the pecking order.
According to Football Insider, Liverpool could now “accept an offer” for Endo in January, assuming they “make a signing of their own in the mid-season window.”
The veteran midfielder is contracted at Anfield until the summer of 2027, but it looks as though Slot would be happy to see him head off to pastures new before then.
Our thoughts on Endo leaving Liverpool…
As mentioned, the signing of Endo was one that few saw coming last year, and supporters may be divided as to how successful an addition he has been.
He was excellent at times amid an injury crisis last season, however, and his influence wasn’t lost on Jurgen Klopp, who said of him back in February:
“I’m pretty sure in three [or] four years Wataru will sign another long-term contract at Liverpool just because he might be 30 or 31 on his passport but he’s not. He’s a machine. He is footballing-wise exceptional. His defensive brain is outstanding. He gives us a lot of freedom for a lot of things. Yeah, top development. Very helpful, very helpful.”
That said, Endo arguably doesn’t possess the elite-level technical ability to excel in Slot’s more controlled system – he has only averaged 0.2 key passes per game in the league this term, albeit only across five cameo appearances – and if a new midfielder does arrive in January, moving him on would make sense.
Liverpool should only let the Japan international leave if that happens, though, with a few injuries to key players potentially making him an important figure later in the campaign.
