
Japan national soccer team captain Wataru Endo (31, Liverpool) is on the verge of being released.
According to British publication Football Insider on Thursday (Jan. 4), the Reds are planning to offload Endo and sign a new defensive midfielder in the winter transfer window next January.
The Reds are juggling the Premier League and European Champions League, but Endo has not been a regular starter this season.
Born in 1993, Endo began his soccer career in 2008 with Shonan Belmare’s youth team. He joined the first team in 2010, before moving to Urawa Reds in 2016 to play in the Japanese J-League. Since then, he has become increasingly prominent in Japan and has also played for the national team. In 2018, he moved to Stuttgart of the German Bundesliga.
Endo made 33 Bundesliga appearances in the 2021-2022 season in a Stuttgart uniform, scoring four goals. He established himself as a key midfielder for the team, completing 84% of his passes and 70% of his tackles that season. Endo was also named captain of Stuttgart and provided leadership. He also represented Japan at the 2018 World Cup and 2019 Asian Cup. His steady play and high level of game understanding attracted the attention of many teams.
In the summer transfer window of 2023, Endo moved to Liverpool of the English Premier League.
At Liverpool, Endo played 29 league games in the 2023-2024 season. He was a regular starter. He averaged 59 minutes per game and also played in the League Cup and European competitions. However, 메이저사이트 his playing time decreased after the change of manager from Jürgen Klopp to Arne Schott ahead of this season.
Endo played one minute as a substitute against Brentford and one minute as a substitute in the first leg of the European Champions League against AC Milan. Slott replaced Endo with Ryan Gravenberch in the starting lineup.
With his reduced role, Endo is likely to be released in the 2024 winter transfer window.
Endo’s situation could also have implications for the Japanese national team. Japan got off to a good start with two wins in the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 North and Central American World Cup, but his role in the national team could diminish if he is unable to play for his club. In October, Japan will face Saudi Arabia and Australia in three crucial Asian qualifying matches.
Endo had the opportunity to move to French side Olympique Marseille in the summer transfer window, but the deal fell through due to transfer fee issues and Endo’s desire to stay. At the time, Endo was confident, saying that “competition for the starting spot is inevitable, you just have to win it,” but he later regretted the decision.
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