Midfielder’s Liverpool career over with FSG to sell him in January – ‘Iraola clearly doesn’t fancy him’
According to reports, Liverpool star Wataru Endo ‘appears likely’ to leave the Premier League giants in the upcoming winter transfer window.
33-year-old Endo joined Liverpool for around £16m ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, and he made 29 Premier League appearances during his debut season.
Endo was a left-field midfield signing by Liverpool, but he has provided good cover over the past couple of seasons.
However, it is clear that new head coach Andoni Iraola is not a big admirer of the experienced midfielder.
Endo, who can also play at centre-back, has been left out of Liverpool’s Champions League squad for this season and Iraola recently shed light on why he has not been using him.
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Iraola explained: “The problem is, in front of him in his position, I have a lot of players.
“He’s competing against a lot of players because we are also giving minutes to Trey (Nyoni), Ryan (Gravenberch), Alexis (Mac Allister), Dom (Szoboszlai), players that I am selecting right now.
“But Wata is definitely a player that I like and for sure he will have his moments.”
Endo also faces an uncertain future because he has entered the final year of his contract, and journalist Ben Jacobs has told GiveMeSport that his Liverpool ‘career is over’ after he was not used in Tuesday’s 3-1 Carabao Cup win against Tottenham Hotspur.
“Iraola clearly doesn’t fancy him…”
Jacobs also thinks Liverpool will look to take their “final opportunity” to cash in on Endo in January before his contract expires.
“Endo’s contract runs out at the end of the season, and it appears likely that Liverpool will look to take advantage of their final opportunity to recoup some money for him in January, with so many players considered to be ahead of him,” Jacobs told GiveMeSport.
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‘Iraola clearly doesn’t fancy him, and the best outcome for all parties looks to be an exit in a few months’ time.’
Despite Iraola insisting he has good midfield options, ex-Newcastle United star Kevin Nolan does not think that any of their midfielders would start for a top Premier League side.
“Arsenal’s midfield three are all better than Liverpool’s,” Nolan said on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast.
“Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister would be squad players at Arsenal, and the Manchester City midfielders would be the same [ahead of the Liverpool duo].
“I think Szoboszlai and Mac Allister would get into the Spurs team, but the Man United midfield with Kobbie Mainoo, Bruno Fernandes, and Youri Tielemans – I think those Liverpool players would be playing back up to them.”
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