Liverpool have surprised everyone with a £16m bid for Japanese star Wataru Endo, as Jurgen Klopp aims to strengthen his midfield with an experienced holding player. Permission has been granted by Stuttgart for the Japan international, who is capable of playing as a centre-back as well, to undergo a medical on Thursday and complete a remarkable move to Merseyside.
Liverpool have reportedly engaged in discussions with Fiorentina, facilitated by intermediaries, regarding the prospective acquisition of Sofyan Amrabat. The proposed deal for the 30-year-old midfielder may involve an initial fee of £21m, which could potentially increase with additional bonuses. Additionally, Sky in Italy has shed light on these negotiations.
Liverpool's failed attempts to secure the services of Moises Caiceido and Romeo Lavia have now brought their pursuit into focus. Reports from News indicate that Manchester United has expressed interest in signing Moroccan player Amrabat, who has been collaborating with FC Utrecht's Erik ten Hag.
It is becoming more challenging for Manchester United to secure significant additional signings in this window.
Liverpool is eager to strengthen their midfield during the summer transfer window. They allowed Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Naby Keita, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Arthur Melo to leave, but have only acquired Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister.
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Liverpool and Manchester United are both interested in signing Sofyan Amrabat during the summer transfer window. Jurgen Klopp's team has recently suffered setbacks in their pursuit of Caicedo and Lavia, as both players have opted to join Chelsea. Caicedo, the former Brighton midfielder, recently sealed a £115m move to Stamford Bridge, while Lavia is currently undergoing a medical ahead of his £58m transfer.
Who is Liverpool target Endo?
Endo, who turned 30 in February, has accumulated 50 caps for Japan and has consistently performed in the midfield for Stuttgart in the Bundesliga over the past three seasons. Despite his age, the player has showcased immense talent and experience. Both players opted for Chelsea instead of Liverpool, although the Reds had previously secured agreements with the two midfielders, resulting in Liverpool diverting their attention to alternative targets.As for his stats last season, he ranked among the top three Bundesliga midfielders for ball recoveries and ranked highly in passing and tackling metrics, too.
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Wataru Endo was among the top three Bundesliga midfielders for ball recoveries last season
Analysis: Amrabat has Premier League attributes
We are delighted to announce that Peter Smith was amazed by Sofyan Amrabat's exceptional performances during Morocco's groundbreaking journey to the semi-finals of the World Cup in Qatar. His remarkable displays captivated football enthusiasts worldwide, and our team of esteemed football writers were equally impressed. Therefore, it gives us great pleasure to include Amrabat in our highly esteemed team of the tournament.He showcased his lung-bursting endeavor to keep up with Kylian Mbappe, followed by executing a precise tackle on the French superstar, both of which became highlights in his career. Throughout the tournament, he effectively balanced physicality with skillful ball control, providing Morocco with possession and defensive stability. Moreover, he led the distance covered and recoveries statistics in the World Cup charts.
Having demonstrated these abilities consistently over four seasons in Serie A while playing for Fiorentina, the 26-year-old player is now entering his prime years. It seems only logical that a player of his caliber would make a move to the Premier League, given his exceptional attributes.
"Amrabat's potential destination had recently seemed to be Manchester United, but the club at Old Trafford requires outgoing transfers to generate funds for incoming signings. This situation creates an opportunity for Liverpool to step in and acquire a crucial midfielder, especially considering that they have already missed out on Moises Caicedo to Chelsea and could potentially lose Romeo Lavia to the same destination rather than Anfield."
Is Amrabat changing agents a sign that he wants to move?
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Amrabat took Fiorentina to the Europa Conference League final, as well as the World Cup semi-finals in December
We News' Dharmesh Sheth speaking on The Transfer Show:
This is the player that has piqued Manchester United's interest all summer.
According to our Italian colleague, Gianluca Di Marzio, Amrabat has recently switched agents. Typically, when a player changes agents, it signifies their intention to secure a transfer.
Amrabat's contract has one year remaining, with an additional 12-month option.
"United continues to express interest. We have discussed whether their spending is complete, mainly due to the absence of significant departures like Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay. They are facing limitations in generating funds to support other transactions.
Manchester United entered the market targeting three main players - Andre Onana, Mason Mount, and Rasmus Hojlund. However, their plans to make further acquisitions may face challenges.
Interestingly, Liverpool has recently expressed their interest in the same players. This is not a new development, as Liverpool has shown long-term interest in Amrabat, who impressed greatly during the World Cup representing Morocco.
"It will be interesting to see where this one goes."
Carragher: Liverpool's window a mess, a joke and embarassing
Liverpool's summer has been described as "an absolute mess, a joke and embarrassing" by Jamie Carragher during his appearance on Monday Night Football. This brutal assessment comes after the club failed to secure signings for both Caicedo and Lavia. When questioned about the implications of these failed transfers, Carragher stated that Liverpool finds themselves in a precarious position with three weeks remaining in the window, with their desperation becoming increasingly apparent to the public.
Today, they made a £60m bid for Lavia after rejecting a £50m offer just four or five days ago. The situation is a complete disaster and is treated as a joke.
The major issue here is that Liverpool has been aware of the necessity for midfield reinforcements since August of the previous season, which was a year ago. Consequently, the lack of organization is highly concerning...
"The two players they acquired had buy-out clauses, leaving no room for negotiation. Meeting the buy-out clause was the only requirement, making it a straightforward process. Consequently, Liverpool has failed to finalize significant deals, resulting in an embarrassing situation.
This is why I refrain from criticizing the owners. They were ready to pay a staggering £111m and break the transfer record. However, the handling of the Lavia situation, with inconsistent payment amounts and switching back and forth between players like Caicedo and Lavia, has created utter chaos. It is nothing short of a joke and brings great embarrassment."