Liverpool recently turned down a €14m (£11.8m) offer from Marseille for midfielder Wataru Endo.
The decision was reported by James Pearce of The Athletic, who highlighted three key reasons behind the rejection: the timing of the offer, limited options in the market to find a suitable replacement, and the current squad needs under new head coach Arne Slot.
The timing of Marseille’s bid was particularly problematic for Liverpool, as they are in the midst of preparing for the new season and do not have a ready replacement for Endo. Additionally, with the transfer window offering few viable options to fill the defensive midfield role, Liverpool’s decision-makers felt it was too risky to let Endo go at this stage.
Despite Endo’s less-than-stellar performance against Real Betis in a recent friendly, it would be unwise for Liverpool to sell him without securing another defensive midfielder first.
The club’s priority remains bolstering that position, especially given the competition and the demanding schedule ahead.
Endo, who was signed from Stuttgart for £16m last August after Liverpool missed out on other targets, has proven to be a reliable presence in midfield.
While the club might have considered Marseille’s offer if a replacement was already in place, under the current circumstances, retaining Endo is seen as the best course of action to ensure squad stability and readiness for the upcoming campaign.
Wataru Endo was brilliant for Liverpool, and I am always proud of that pic.twitter.com/1U8LvGpcOV
— K (@KeiLFC88) July 29, 2024
