On a day that’s been all about Trent Alexander-Arnold, Eintracht Frankfurt is now reportedly interested in signing Wataru Endo this summer.
The Bundesliga club believes the Liverpool midfielder cold be an “absolute leader” for it. Endo joined Liverpool in 2023, but after racking up plenty of minutes during Jurgen Klopp‘s final season at the club, he has found game time tougher to come by under Arne Slot.
The 32-year-old has started just six times this season, with five of those starts coming across the domestic cup competitions, and the other coming in a Champions League dead rubber against PSV Eindhoven. Endo has become something of a fan favorite at Anfield, but that is unlikely to be enough to keep the Japan international around beyond this summer.
The player has experience of playing in the Bundesliga from his four-year spell at VFB Stuttgart — the club Liverpool signed him from — and he could be tempted by the prospect of a return to Germany, especially considering he is at a stage in his career when he wants to be playing as much as possible.
Slot favours holding midfielders who are more technical and impactful on the ball, while Endo is more of a traditional defensive-midfield enforcer.
Still, Endo and Slot have plenty of respect for each other, with Endo saying earlier this month: “Recently, the manager told me what I’ve done this season is really amazing and really helpful for the team because even though I haven’t had the chance to play a lot when I do, I always try and give 100 percent to help the team. The manager is very grateful for that.”
(Image: Michael Regan)
Slot, meanwhile, said in February: “I appreciate him a lot as a football player but also as a human being because no matter how many minutes the team needs him [for], he always shows up.
“The reason why he always shows up – and that is what makes him special, and I’ve said it a few times before – is players, and I have worked with many that were in a similar situation like him, don’t always find the energy to train well the day after a game when they didn’t have playing time or two days after a game.
“But it doesn’t matter which day of the week it is or if he has played, he always gives his best in every training session and, as a result of that, every time the team needs him he shows up.”
A report by Scottish outlet Glasgow World earlier this week said that Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is interested in signing Endo, with AC Milan, Wolves, Fulham and Ipswich also apparently keen.
