Liverpool may have inadvertently revealed part of its summer transfer plans with the confirmation on Monday of the club’s summer tour plans.
Arne Slot’s Reds will travel to Asia to face AC Milan in Hong Kong on July 26, before flying to Japan for the second leg of the tour. The opponents for the Japanese section of the trip have not yet been confirmed, but with news confirmed on Monday that Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are also set to play in Hong Kong in July, it has provided a little hint as to who Liverpool could be set to face.
The Reds haven’t played in Japan since 2005 and have never played a summer friendly in the country. As always with these overseas trips, generating as much revenue as possible is the key motivation behind the club’s decision to travel to Asia.
Monday’s announcement included details from the club on how it will strengthen its corporate partnership with Standard Chartered, when Liverpool and Milan play for the Standard Chartered Trophy, while offering “our clients and colleagues” a rare opportunity to see the team in person.
Likewise, a partnership with Japan Airlines (JAL), which was confirmed in June last year, was a key factor in choosing to travel to Asia. “Arriving in style and comfort, players and backroom staff will be flown to Asia by Japan Airlines, the club’s official airline partner,” the club’s statement read as the news was announced.
That accompanied a video of Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz and Watru Endo challenged to use chopsticks. The choice of players used to promote the tour could easily generate headlines; no Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk or Trent Alexander-Arnold involved for a set of games that occurs when, as things stand, none of the trio will be Liverpool players.
The choice of Endo was also key and, among all the corporate jargon, it’s no surprise to see the Japan captain asked to help promote the tour. Expect him to be front and center over the coming months and when the team actually touches down in Hong Kong and Japan.
That also provides a hint as to Liverpool’s transfer plans given the player has been linked with a summer exit. That could still well happen, but it’s a safe assumption that Endo will remain a Liverpool player into July and early August.
Caught Offside claimed last week that Fulham, Ipswich Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers, AC Milan, and Celtic are all monitoring the 32-year-old, who has played a more prominent role in the team over recent weeks, but is yet to start a Premier League match this term.
A summer exit seems possible, but it’s highly likely that any departure would take place in the final weeks of the summer window. It was confirmed last week that the Premier League transfer market will close on 1 September this year.
As for Endo, he has made 26 appearances in all competitions this season, but only six have come as starts. He admitted earlier this month that he has at times found the lack of minutes frustrating.
