Liverpool appointed new manager Arne Slot after Jurgen Klopp’s departure in the summer transfer window.
The club made changes this summer at the top and in the squad, with the new manager stamping his authority and making decisions according to his philosophy.
One of the players who faces an uncertain future at the club is midfielder Wataru Endo, who is not in the plans of the Dutch manager.
The Reds were looking for a new number 6 in the summer transfer window and were even willing to sign Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi but the Spaniard decided to stay at his boyhood club.
The Athletic reporter Andy Jones has claimed that the signs are there for Endo to be offloaded soon since the manager has still not started the midfielder this season.
Speaking on The Athletic’s Walk On podcast, Jones claimed that Endo is not a part of Slot’s long term plans at Anfield.
He said:
“I think we’ve seen in pre-season, and Slot’s lack of usage of him – and the fact that ultimately, Liverpool decided to recruit a number six as well – that he doesn’t appear to be part of Liverpool’s long-term plans.
“I think in terms of this year, now that you’ve got him, I think that role of maybe not starting games but to do sort of the final 20 minutes, the final 15 minutes of a game when hopefully Liverpool are quite comfortable to be able to bring him on and shore things up.
“He can keep the ball ticking, he can do the simple stuff, he just isn’t really that progressive passer. That’s the problem.”
Wataru Endo was impressive for Liverpool last season
It is a complete turnaround in the career of the midfielder who was one of Liverpool’s important players last season.
Signed by Jurgen Klopp last summer, the midfielder featured regularly in the midfield for the Merseyside club.
Slot has come to Liverpool with a different mind set and the kind of football he expects from his defensive midfielder is completely opposite to what Endo can offer.
The Japanese midfielder impressed Klopp last season, with the former Liverpool manager calling him “exceptional”, as per GOAL.
The German manager praised the midfielder’s defensive brain last season but under Slot, he has no future at Anfield and a move away next year is looking certain at the moment.
