Liverpool are considering parting ways with Wataru Endo in the upcoming January transfer window. According to journalist Ben Jacobs, the Merseyside club is prepared to offload the 33-year-old Japanese player, whose contract expires next summer.
Endo has yet to see any action this season, having been omitted from Liverpool's Champions League squad. In the recent Carabao Cup tie against Tottenham, manager Andoni Iraola also opted not to utilise the midfielder, preferring to give minutes to James McConnell and Trey Nyoni instead.
Jacobs reported:
Endo's contract expires at the end of the season, and it seems Liverpool will try to capitalise on the last chance to receive a fee for him in January, given how many players currently sit ahead of him in the hierarchy.
Iraola clearly does not see him as a primary option, so a departure in the coming months appears to be the most sensible outcome for all parties involved.
Iraola previously explained Endo's absence by citing fierce competition in the midfield:
The problem is that I have too many players ahead of him in his position. He’s competing with many footballers as we also give playing time to Trey Nyoni, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, and Dominik Szoboszlai — that’s who I’m selecting right now.
But I definitely like Wataru as a player, and he will surely get his opportunities.
Endo joined Liverpool from Stuttgart last summer for £16 million. In his debut season, the Japanese international featured in 43 matches across all competitions, but his role within the team has noticeably diminished since then.
