Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo might face awkward talks with club bosses after appearing to reveal that Mohamed Salah will leave this summer or next summer. The transfer saga over the 32-year-old ignited last year when he was the subject of a £150million bid from Al Ittihad, and with only 12 months left on his contract he is expected to be targeted again by Saudi Pro League chiefs.
But following the end of the 2023/24 campaign, Salah appeared to drop a huge hint that he would remain at Anfield one more season, taking to social media to make a vow to fans amid a new era under manager Arne Slot.
“We know that trophies are what count and we will do everything possible to make that happen next season,” he wrote on social media. "Our fans deserve it and we will fight like hell."
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But Endo, who signed from Stuttgart last summer, has now ramped up speculation that Liverpool’s top Premier League scorer could depart in this transfer window. In an interview with Japanese TV, the 31-year-old was pressed on which of his fellow internationals would he like to join him on Merseyside this season.
He was asked: "If you could transfer one Japanese national team player to Liverpool, who would it be?" Endo, who scored twice in 43 club games in the 2023/24 campaign, replied: "Maybe it's Kubo (Takefusa)."
Kubo, 23, has spent the last two years at Real Sociedad. And the right winger has been dubbed the ‘Japanese Messi’ as a tribute to his skillful play and speed with the ball at his feet.
But interviewers Tomoaki Makino and Shintaro Moriyama soon got more than they bargained for when Endo elaborated on his choice. And he touted his Samurai Blue team-mate as an ideal replacement for Salah.
"The search for a replacement for Mohamed Salah has begun, so this is becoming a real area for Liverpool to strengthen,” he added. “I think the player who can replace him, in the national team, would be Kubo."
Salah has scored 211 goals in 349 games for the club since his £36.5million move from Roma in 2017. But at 32 and on £350,000 a week, it is unclear if he will be offered a new deal or not.
Slot has been coy on the future of his key forward, but this month praised his displays in pre-season fitness testing. “Mo, came back strong. Really fit, that’s something he’s always been but it’s the same this year,” he said.
“What you want from them is to set the example for the youngsters. For them, it’s very important, like others from the first team, that they stay fit.”
