Liverpool have surprised everyone by making a bid for Japanese international Wataru Endo from Stuttgart. They have offered around £16m for the player, who Jurgen Klopp sees as an experienced holding midfielder. Endo has been given permission by Stuttgart to travel to Merseyside for a medical and finalize the transfer. The deal could potentially rise to £21m with bonuses included.
In addition, Liverpool have held talks with Fiorentina regarding the potential signing of Sofyan Amrabat. Sky Sports News has reported that Manchester United is also interested in the Moroccan midfielder. However, it appears that further “major additional incomings” for Manchester United in this transfer window will be difficult.
Liverpool has been eager to strengthen their midfield this summer, as they have seen several players leave and have only brought in Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister. They missed out on signing Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, who both chose Chelsea instead.
Wataru Endo, with 50 caps for Japan, has been a regular in Stuttgart’s midfield in the Bundesliga for the past three seasons. He turned 30 in February and has impressive stats, ranking among the top three Bundesliga midfielders in various categories such as ball recoveries, passing, and tackling.
Sofyan Amrabat, on the other hand, has caught the eye with his performances for Morocco in the World Cup in Qatar. He has been a consistent performer in Serie A for Fiorentina and is approaching his peak years at 26. It was previously thought that Manchester United was the likely destination for him, but with Liverpool missing out on other targets, they may now have their chance to secure the midfielder.
Overall, Liverpool’s summer transfer dealings have been criticized as a mess and embarrassing, especially after missing out on Caicedo and Lavia. The club has been aware of their need for midfield reinforcements for a year but have failed to secure big deals. This has led to frustration among fans and pundits alike.