Liverpool's Midfield Dilemma: Endo's Future and New Signings
Liverpool’s midfield plans are coming to a head. The clock is ticking on the summer window, the non-homegrown quota is full, and the next move from Richard Hughes suddenly looks very clear.
Three new faces are already through the door, but the squad list is packed. With no free non-homegrown slots left, Liverpool can’t simply keep adding. Someone has to go.
Homegrown solutions exist in theory, but the market has gone wild. Elliott Anderson and Morgan Rogers both moved for fees north of £115 million, a stark reminder of how inflated English talent has become. For Liverpool, that pushes the focus back onto outgoings. If they want another key signing, at least one established name will almost certainly have to make way.
And all roads now point to Wataru Endo.
Endo on the block
Journalist Pete O’Rourke reports that Liverpool are ready to listen to offers for the Japan international. In a squad already light on depth, that is a bold stance. Yet, on paper, it adds up.
Endo is 34. He has just returned from a major injury. He has only a year left on his current deal. From a pure squad-planning perspective, cashing in now is logical.
The alternative candidate is Calvin Ramsay. There has been background noise over his future as well, but with Andoni Iraola’s defence looking fragile, the Scotsman may end up staying to provide cover. If Ramsay remains, the pressure shifts squarely onto Endo.
Liverpool know the risk. Endo struggled last season, and if those performances are a sign of decline rather than rust, keeping him as the primary shield in front of the back four would be a gamble. Letting him go is a gamble too – but one that opens the door to a long-term fix in a position that has cried out for stability.
Which is why the conclusion feels inevitable: if Endo leaves, the next signing almost has to be a number six.
The hunt for a new anchor
Liverpool’s need for a top-class defensive midfielder has been obvious for months. Almost everyone watching them could see the hole. Ryan Gravenberch never convinced as a consistent option at the base of midfield, yet he still landed a lucrative new deal. That ties the club to him, but it doesn’t solve the problem.
So the search continues.
A string of holding midfielders have been linked with Anfield. Among them, two names currently stand out: Marc Casado and Adam Wharton.
Barcelona have already told Casado he can leave, which immediately makes him a realistic and potentially shrewd target. Young, technically secure, tactically educated – he fits the profile of a modern Liverpool midfielder, and the pathway at his current club has closed.
Wharton is a different story. Crystal Palace do not want to sell. He is under no pressure to move, and any deal would be expensive. Very expensive. His price tag is expected to be around €100 million, a figure that underlines both his talent and the Premier League premium Liverpool are trying to avoid in other areas.
Even so, of the two, Wharton looks the more complete fit. He already understands the league, already plays with a maturity beyond his years, and already looks like the kind of player who could command Liverpool’s midfield for the next decade.
There are still a few weeks left in the window. Plans can shift, targets can change, and opportunities can appear from nowhere. But the shape of Liverpool’s summer is becoming harder to ignore.
If Endo is indeed on his way out and the squad remains locked at its non-homegrown limit, the next big decision is not just who Liverpool sign – it’s which number six they are prepared to build their new era around.
