Liverpool put one of Klopp’s last signings up for sale as brutal Iraola insult proves final straw

The writing is on the wall for Wataru Endo at Anfield, with Liverpool putting the player up for sale in a final bid to claw back some funds and with Andoni Iraola revealing the “problem” that the little-seen Japanese midfielder has at the club.

The 33-year-old defensive midfielder arrived on Merseyside in August of 2023 when he made a £16m (€20m, $24m) move from VfB Stuttgart, becoming one of iconic manager Jurgen Klopp’s final signings in what was to prove the last summer transfer window the German was to oversee at Anfield.

In his debut season for the club, Endo made 43 appearances, scoring twice and quickly becoming something of a cult hero among the Anfield faithful.

However, that was as good as it got for the defensive midfielder, who made 32 appearances during Arne Slot’s first year at the helm, before a series of injuries – one of which forced him to miss the World Cup – coupled with a falling out of favour under the Dutchman reduced him to a bit-part role last season.

This season, Endo has already been excluded from Liverpool’s 25-man Champions League squad, and, while he has made the bench on all four occasions in the Premier League, he has yet to see a single minute of action.

Earlier this week, it had been suggested that Endo could see some minutes in their Carabao Cup third-round tie at home to Tottenham Hotspur, but when Iraola once again overlooked the 33-year-old – instead offering youngsters James McConnell and Trey Nyoni a chance to impress – it now seems the player’s time at Anfield is now done.

That decision by Iraola looks to have signalled the death knell to Endo’s time at Liverpool and, according to journalist Ben Jacobs, the Reds will put the player on the market ahead of the January window in one final attempt to cash in on a player who is in the final year of his contract at Anfield.

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Iraola has explained the big problem Endo has at Liverpool

While Endo impressed at centre-back in a pre-season game against Como, the fact he hasn’t been seen anywhere near the Liverpool first team since tells you all you need to know about the player.

Writing for Givemesport, Jacobs stated: ‘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.

‘Iraola clearly doesn’t fancy him, and the best outcome for all parties looks to be an exit in a few months’ time.’

Iraola himself has admitted that, while he has a lot of respect for the 73-cap Japan international, he has strong competition ahead of him, both in defensive midfield and in his back-up position of centre-half.

“The problem is, in front of him in his position, I have a lot of players,” Iraola said.

“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.”

The defensive midfield area is one concern that Iraola is planning to address over the next two transfer windows, with links to four players now gathering serious pace ahead of the January window.

One of those, Lamine Camara, has broken his silence on his failed deadline day move to Chelsea and with Liverpool now learning the new price Monaco are demanding for a January transfer.