Endo set for Liverpool stay after ‘interesting’ exit development in Preston win
Wataru Endo started the second half as Liverpool kicked off pre-season with a win.
The Japan international formed part of the second 11 at Deepdale as Arne Slot’s side secured a 3-1 win against Preston on Sunday (13 July).
This came after weeks of Anfield departure links for the 32-year-old who has played a bit part role ever since joining the Reds from Stuttgart in 2023.
Despite this, it looks as if Merseyside could represent home for at least another year after what was said in Lancashire.
Endo could avoid exit from Liverpool
It is fair to say that the Premier League champions have had a positive transfer window to this point, with many high-profile additions.
This has seen the likes of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez come in to add the quality within the squad already.
It is fair that their signings could represent the end of the road for other members of the side at Anfield as the summer moves deeper.
As a result, a departure for Endo could make sense for all parties, especially if another midfield option were to come in on Merseyside.
| Stat | Wataru Endo |
| Appearances | 75 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Assists | 1 |
The possibility of this may have been shortened somewhat, given the sadness surrounding the shock passing of Diogo Jota in recent weeks.
As the Reds secured a win against Preston, ITV 1 commentator Joe Speight suggested (13 July, 04:26pm) that fringe players could remain in L4 as a result of the horrific event.
He said: “I just wonder, given the events of the last few weeks, the players who have been linked with a move away think, ‘No, this is a unified club and we want to remain part of it.'”
Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock added: “Yeah, quite possibly that could happen, we just don’t know yet, do we? The next few weeks are going to be very interesting.”
Liverpool exits may be impacted by Jota death
Everyone associated with Liverpool and Preston North End did themselves proud as they paid the perfect tribute to the Portugal international at Deepdale.
“His name is Diogo”, rang around the ground from start to finish, with players showcasing their emotion with supporters after the full-time whistle.
The forward will never be forgotten on the terraces of Anfield, and as a result, it may not be time to wave goodbye to other members of the current crop.
As the grieving process continues surrounding Jota and Andre Silva, keeping hold of a core squad could make the difference for Slot and his side moving forward.
Sign up for the Liverpool News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Liverpool news sent straight to your phone.