Iraola makes decision on selling Liverpool star in January as Serie A midfield boss targeted
Liverpool are reportedly ready to listen to offers for Wataru Endo in the January transfer window, and TEAMtalk is able to confirm one player who could potentially replace him.
The 33-year-old Japanese international is yet to play a single minute of Premier League football this season, having been an unused substitute in their first four fixtures.
Endo was also left out of Liverpool’s Champions League squad, and now, according to journalist Ben Jacobs, Liverpool are keen to cash in on him this winter.
“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 wrote for GiveMeSport.
“Iraola clearly doesn’t fancy him, and the best outcome for all parties looks to be an exit in a few months’ time.”
Indeed, Iraola’s own comments seem to suggest that it is unlikely Endo gets many opportunities any time soon.
“Wata lost quite a lot of the pre-season [due to injury]. I think he’s still not at his best but he’s training very well,” said Iraola in a recent press conference.
“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.”
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Liverpool eyeing Serie A star as Endo exit looms
With Liverpool reportedly looking to recoup a fee for Endo in January, rather than losing him via free agency at the end of the season, we understand they are already doing due diligence on midfield targets.
One of the players under consideration is Fiorentina star Cher Ndour. TEAMtalk exclusively revealed on Wednesday that Liverpool are one of several Premier League sides considering a move for the 22-year-old in January.
Ndour, a twice-capped Italian international, has already built an impressive CV despite his relatively young age, having experienced football in four of Europe’s top leagues and now potentially looking at a move to a fifth in 2027.
He has played in Serie A with Fiorentina, while his career has also taken him to Portugal with Benfica, France with Paris Saint-Germain and Turkey with Besiktas.
An Endo departure could see Liverpool step up their interest and launch a move for Ndour, but they do face competition.
We can also confirm that Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Brighton, Crystal Palace and Hull City all made enquiries about Ndour earlier this summer and remain attentive to his situation.
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