Despite the Reds’ excellent run under Arne Slot – sitting top of the Premier League and Champions League – one Liverpool player now reportedly wants to head for the Anfield exit door.

Liverpool transfer news

Liverpool’s slot machine hit the jackpot once again against Aston Villa, securing a 2-0 victory courtesy of Mohamed Salah’s brilliance. The Egyptian set up the first for Darwin Nunez before single-handedly countering late on to seal the points for his side and send them five points clear at the top of the Premier League. 15 wins in 17 games in all competitions, Slot has made an unprecedented start to life as a manager in English football.

What makes the Dutchman’s start even more impressive is how little business Liverpool completed in the summer transfer window, deciding to welcome just two players in the form of Federico Chiesa and Giorgi Mamardashvili, with the latter on loan at Valencia for the rest of the campaign.

2025 could prove to be slightly more chaotic, however, given that Virgil van Dijk, Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold are yet to agree new deals and remain on course to become free agents at the end of the campaign. Those departures would be disastrous for the Reds, who could also be left bidding farewell to another player.

122 touches, 96% passing: Liverpool's 9/10 star outshone Nunez & Salah

The Liverpool star was superb against Villa

1 ByJoe Nuttall

According to Caught Offside, Wataru Endo now wants out of Liverpool after struggling to break into Slot’s side so far this season. The Japan international has reportedly attracted the interest of Celtic, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Ipswich Town and Fulham with Liverpool valuing their midfielder at just €15-18 (£12-15m) in 2025.

Endo has fallen victim to the emergence of Ryan Gravenberch, who has a strong argument to be Liverpool’s Player of the Season so far and looks to have done enough to show his competition the door.

"Exceptional" Endo must be replaced

If this is to be it for Endo at Anfield then Liverpool must replace their midfielder when next summer arrives. The Japan international may not take the spotlight very often, if at all, but he adds crucial depth. Without him, Liverpool are arguably one injury to Gravenberch away from forcing Alexis Mac Allister out of position once again and losing the attacking element that he adds in his preferred role.

To his credit, Endo has outperformed the expectations placed on his shoulders since arriving at Liverpool last season as Jurgen Klopp struggled to find a solution to his midfield problem.

Summing up his impact, Klopp had fallen in love with the £50,000-a-week midfielder by the end of his tenure, telling reporters after Carabao Cup final victory over Chelsea, via Sqawka: “I’m pretty sure in three [or] four years Wataru will sign another long-term contract at Liverpool just because he might be 30 or 31 on his passport but he’s not.

“He’s a machine. He is footballing-wise exceptional. His defensive brain is outstanding. He gives us a lot of freedom for a lot of things. Yeah, top development. Very helpful, very helpful.”