Liverpool star tops alarming Premier League table amid summer exit rumours
Liverpool have had an excellent first season under Arne Slot after the Dutchman lifted the Premier League title.
Multiple stars have improved since the former Feyenoord manager took over in the summer.
Alexis Mac Allister has shone, while Mohamed Salah has made the Premier League his playground this season.
However, changes to the squad are still expected this summer. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s future is still unclear, with a replacement likely needed.
Another potential departure in the transfer window is Wataru Endo, with one potential stat indicating why Slot may be willing to let the defensive midfielder go.
Endo tops Premier League foul per minute
Since his transfer in 2023, Endo has been a useful squad player for Liverpool.
However, the Japanese international has only played 17 Premier League games this season, with zero of these being starts.
As a result, it has become clear that he is not favoured by Slot, prompting rumours that Endo might leave in the summer.
| Player | Fouls per minute |
| Wataru Endo | 8.0 |
| Will Hughes | 2.9 |
| Jota Silva | 2.6 |
| Edward Nketiah | 2.6 |
| Sasa Lukic | 2.5 |
Now, an alarming stat has emerged, which indicates why the defensive midfielder might not be favoured by the Dutchman.
According to Fotmob (29 April), Endo has committed the most fouls per minute in the Premier League by a mile.
The Japanese international is currently making eight fouls per 90 minutes, which is 5.1 more than Will Hughes in second with 2.9.
Liverpool need an upgrade on Endo this summer
Simply put, Liverpool needs to upgrade Endo in the summer.
If the champions of England want to continue to progress on the pitch, they cannot afford to have a player who is committing over double the amount of fouls compared to anyone else in the division.
Ao Tanaka has been seen as the ‘perfect replacement’ after a successful season at Leeds United, as they achieved promotion to the Premier League.
Slot needs to be backed this summer after what he has achieved this season, and if he wants to bring in someone better, then the board needs to make it happen.
Unfortunately for Endo, if a new defensive midfielder does come in, it certainly means his time at Anfield will come to an end.