Liverpool wait for Man United to activate buy-back clause as Wataru Endo makes transfer decision
The latest Liverpool news and transfer rumours including Wataru Endo's future at the club and alleged interest in former Manchester United full-back Alvaro Fernandez
Arne Slot has been outspoken with his joy over the Liverpool team that he inherited from Jurgen Klopp. Deep down, though, the head coach will know the group cannot stay together forever.
As much as supporters grow attached to footballers as talented as those on display at Anfield in the present day, change is a necessity. Taking centre stage right now are the contract situations of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold - all of whom may stay, but could also leave.
With time Slot and those responsible for transfers will also make decisions about who they wish to introduce to the squad as well and the appropriate times to do so. Evidence of this is already shown by the pre-agreement for Giorgi Mamardashvili's arrival next summer.
This same forward thinking is going to be needed to keep Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table, and the latest rumours act as hints towards their proactive nature in the market. Here is a round-up of the latest Liverpool transfer news and rumours from across the globe...
Endo in Liverpool for the long haul
Via The Express, Wataru Endo has decided he is best staying at Liverpool and fighting for his place.
The Japan captain was the surprise transfer of the summer 2023 window, arriving from Stuttgart for £16m to help Jurgen Klopp's team when they most desperately needed it. When called upon by the previous manager, his dogged displays were nothing short of fantastic.
But it has been a different picture under new head coach Arne Slot, with the midfielder starting only one match in 10 throughout all competitions and playing only six Premier League minutes to date.
Still it is claimed this has not put Endo off his dream club and he intends to remain a Red and so what he can to help the team. So far he has been credited with transfer interest from Inter Milan while Liverpool rejected an £11.8m bid from Marseille in July.
After his five-minute cameo to help see Slot's men over the line last time out at Crystal Palace, the Dutchman declared: "[It] says a lot about him as a person."
Getting another one over on their rivals?
Slot got the Liverpool seal of approval when his side came away with a 3-0 win at Old Trafford in September, and now he is being linked with using the transfer market to get one over on the club's bitter rivals once again.
According to Diario AS, the Reds hold an interest in Benfica left back Alvaro Fernandez. The 21-year-old would seemingly be a long-term replacement for Andy Robertson, 30, as Slot will eventually arrive at the moment he needs to chop and change the squad he inherited.
He is valued very highly with a contract through to 2029 so the Reds are told they would have to 'dig deep into their pockets', though the very prospect of a deal happening is interesting as it was only in January when Man United let him go for €6m (£5m). Old Trafford chiefs do hold a buyback clause, though Slot and Co could pip their rivals and other recently-named suitors Barcelona and Real Madrid to the Spaniard's signature.
Fernandez never actually made a senior appearance during his four years in Manchester, instead playing only as high as Under-21 level and making the senior bench twice. He played for Preston North End 42 times whilst on loan during the 2022/23 season.
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