Jurgen Klopp’s remaining season as Liverpool supervisor maybe didn’t go how he, nor the Anfield devoted had hoped, but it surely was nonetheless memorable. The Reds managed to win one trophy, the Carabao Cup, beating Chelsea within the remaining, with a facet crammed with academy gamers, dubbed “Klopp’s youngsters” by Gary Neville.
Nevertheless, they didn’t fairly handle to offer him a send-off with a second Premier League title, ending third, 9 factors behind champions Manchester Metropolis. They had been additionally eradicated from the Europa League on the quarter-final stage by the hands of eventual champions Atalanta.
Klopp has definitely left Liverpool’s squad in glorious form for Arne Slot, as they’re proving this season. His remaining summer time switch window definitely performed a giant half.
Klopp’s signings in his remaining summer time
The German made four permanent signings in the summertime of 2023, all of which strengthened the midfield at Anfield. The costliest of these was Dominik Szoboszlai, who joined the membership for £60m from RB Leipzig. The Reds quantity eight has carried out effectively for the membership to date, scoring 9 occasions and grabbing seven assists in 64 games.
One other key addition forward of Klopp’s remaining season in cost was Alexis Mac Allister. The Argentine has been excellent in the course of the park for the Merseysiders since becoming a member of from Brighton and Hove Albion for just £35m.
Like Szoboszlai, he has contributed 9 objectives and 7 assists in 66 appearances. That included a elegant strike towards Fulham at Anfield, which he took on the half volley from 30 yards out and rifled it into the highest proper nook.
Klopp additionally signed Mac Allister’s fellow midfielder Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich. The Dutchman cost £34.2m and has been the standout beneath Slot, specifically, as a deep-lying midfielder. He has played 56 games for the membership to date and has began each single single top-flight sport beneath the brand new supervisor this season.
Nevertheless, the identical can’t be stated for Klopp’s fourth recruitment from the 2023 summer time window, Wataru Endo.
Why Endo might now be bought
After becoming a member of Liverpool from German facet Stuttgart for £16.2m final season, it has been a blended time of issues for the Japan worldwide at Anfield. He was a key participant beneath Klopp, however has discovered his involvement beneath Slot has massively decreased this time period.
Thus far, the 31-year-old has made 52 appearances in that well-known Pink shirt, scoring twice and grabbing one help. Nevertheless, nearly all of these video games got here within the 2023/24 marketing campaign beneath the person who signed him.
Underneath Klopp, Endo played 43 games, changing into a vital participant on the base of the Liverpool midfield. It was definitely a blow for the Reds when he was referred to as as much as the Japan nationwide group for the Aisa Cup at first of 2024.
Nevertheless, it has been a very totally different story this season. Underneath Slot, the previous Stuttgart man has featured just nine times throughout all competitions, and even then, they’re largely substitute appearances. Endo has solely began two video games this time period, each of which had been within the Carabao Cup.
|
Endo’s document for Liverpool per season |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Stat |
Premier League |
Europa League |
Carabao Cup |
FA Cup |
|
Video games |
29 |
9 |
4 |
1 |
|
Minutes |
1720 |
587 |
331 |
120 |
|
G/A |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
Stat |
Premier League |
Europa League |
Carabao Cup |
|
|
Video games |
6 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Minutes |
20 |
1 |
146 |
|
|
G/A |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Stats from Transfermarkt |
||||
It is perhaps a shock that the £50k-per-week star isn’t as essential this season, given how a lot Klopp cherished him. Throughout his first few months at Anfield, the German described him as a “machine”, however he now struggles to get into the group.
“I am fairly positive in three [or] 4 years Wataru will signal one other long-term contract at Liverpool simply because he is perhaps 30 or 31 on his passport however he isn’t. He is a machine. He’s footballing-wise distinctive. His defensive mind is excellent. He offers us a variety of freedom for lots of issues. Yeah, prime improvement. Very useful, very useful.”
Given the very fact Endo is seemingly not in Slot’s plans, it would effectively make sense for the Reds to promote him, amid reports that he could depart in January.
Not solely wouldn’t it release area within the squad for a brand new addition who Slot would be capable of use, however the Reds would additionally get the 31-year-old’s wages off the books and have more cash to spend.
It definitely appears seemingly that Endo won’t be a Liverpool participant for much longer, which is a disgrace contemplating the very fact he was such an essential participant for Klopp in his remaining season at Anfield.
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