Liverpool's Midfield Puzzle: What Happens with Wataru Endo?

Liverpool’s midfield puzzle is coming to a head. The window is ticking down, the squad is full, and one decision now shapes everything: what happens with Wataru Endo.

Squad at capacity, pressure rising

Liverpool have already moved early this summer, bringing in three new faces and signalling that the post-Klopp rebuild is very much underway. Links to Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye underline that the club are still alive in the market, still looking for upgrades.

But there’s a hard stop: there are no free non-homegrown slots left in the first-team squad. Any foreign signing now means someone has to go.

Targeting homegrown players would, in theory, solve that issue. In practice, it’s a different story. With Elliott Anderson and Morgan Rogers both sold for fees north of £115 million each, the English market is inflated to the point of absurdity. For Liverpool, that kind of premium makes every domestic deal a serious calculation.

So the reality is simple. To keep reshaping this team, Liverpool will have to sacrifice at least one member of the current core.

Endo placed in the shop window

That brings the focus to Endo. According to journalist Pete O'Rourke, Liverpool are now willing to listen to offers for the Japan international this summer.

On paper, it adds up. Endo is 34, just back from a major injury, and has only a year left on his contract. From a purely strategic point of view, this is the last realistic chance to cash in.

Calvin Ramsay has also been mentioned as a possible departure, but with Andoni Iraola’s defence already looking fragile, the Scotsman may yet be kept around as cover. If Ramsay stays, the spotlight on Endo only grows harsher.

Letting him go would be a gamble. Liverpool’s squad depth is already thin, especially in the spine of the team. Lose your only experienced holding midfielder and you absolutely have to get the replacement right.

The risk is obvious. If Endo leaves and his successor struggles as badly as some of last season’s midfield experiments, the decision will look catastrophic.

But the intention is clear. With Hughes and Iraola open to a sale, Liverpool are effectively nailing one truth to the door: the next signing has to be a number six.

The hunt for a new anchor

Liverpool’s need for a specialist defensive midfielder has been glaring for months. Almost every serious observer of their season came to the same conclusion: the balance wasn’t right, and the holding role remained a problem.

Ryan Gravenberch’s inconsistency underlined it. Talented, yes, but unreliable as a long-term option at the base of midfield. Despite that, Liverpool still handed him a lucrative new deal, effectively committing to him as part of the medium-term project.

That contract doesn’t solve the number six issue. It just means they’re stuck with Gravenberch for now and must find a way to build around him.

So the search continues.

Marc Casado and Adam Wharton have emerged as two of the most realistic names on the radar. Barcelona have reportedly told Casado he can leave, opening the door to a relatively straightforward move if Liverpool decide he’s the right profile.

Wharton is a different story. Crystal Palace do not want to sell. He would cost around €100 million, a figure that underlines both his quality and the distorted nature of the current market. Even so, of the two, he looks the more natural fit for what Liverpool need: a long-term, high-ceiling solution at the base of midfield.

The clock is still on Liverpool’s side. There are weeks left in the window, enough time for plans to shift and negotiations to twist. But the direction of travel is obvious.

If Endo is indeed heading for the exit, Liverpool cannot afford to miss on his successor. The next number six won’t just be another signing. He’ll be the fulcrum of whatever this new era at Anfield is supposed to become.