Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has stated that the club should have allowed midfielder Wataru Endo to leave, citing him as one of two players unlikely to feature under new manager Andoni Iraola. Carragher made these remarks on the podcast "The Overlap," following the omission of several players from Liverpool's 25-man squad for the Champions League league phase.
Carragher identified Endo and Federico Chiesa as the two players he believes will not play for the team. "Liverpool have got two players in the squad who are never going to play," Carragher said. "And there are all these quotas, you can only have 17 (non-homegrown) players and all that. They have got Chiesa and Endo. It's like they are never going to kick a ball."
He added, "Endo should have been moved on. He has done great, a bit of a cult hero." Endo joined Liverpool in the summer of 2023 under Jurgen Klopp but has struggled to establish himself, particularly last season when he made 12 appearances and faced difficulties in securing Premier League game time due to injuries and selection. He was an unused substitute in Liverpool's recent draws against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest.
Chiesa, who joined Liverpool in 2024, has also found opportunities limited. He struggled for minutes under previous manager Arne Slot, making only five starts last season, and has missed the start of the current campaign due to injury. Carragher suggested that both players might now only feature in cup games, though they remain eligible for league matches.
Iraola has added new players to the squad this season, including Jeremy Jacquet and Bradley Barcola. However, the team has also seen departures, with players such as Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, and Ibrahima Konate leaving the club. Despite long-term injuries, Giovanni Leoni, Hugo Ekitike, and Conor Bradley were included in the Champions League squad.