Liverpool have rejected an offer of €14million (£11.8m) from Marseille for midfielder Wataru Endo.
It remains to be seen if the French club return with a higher bid for the Japan international, who is also attracting interest from a number of Bundesliga clubs.
Liverpool aren’t actively looking to move Endo on. The timing of the bid from Marseille, the lack of market opportunities available in terms of recruiting a replacement, and the current needs of Arne Slot’s squad contributed to the offer being turned down.
The 31-year-old, who still has three years remaining on his contract, made 43 appearances for Liverpool last season following his £16.2m move from German club Stuttgart.
Liverpool signed the specialist holding midfielder after missing out to Chelsea in their pursuit of both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia last August.
Endo, who is part of the Liverpool squad in Philadelphia for the second leg of their U.S. tour, endured a difficult start at Anfield, but improved significantly after adjusting to the pace and physicality of Premier League football.
Slot does have other options in the holding midfield role with Alexis Mac Allister, Curtis Jones and Stefan Bajcetic all able to operate as a No 6. But if Endo moves on this summer then he would need to be replaced.
Former Brighton and Hove Albion boss Roberto de Zerbi took over at Marseille last month and has already strengthened his squad with the signing of Mason Greenwood from Manchester United and taking Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg on loan from Tottenham.
GO DEEPER
Endo is Liverpool’s £16m bargain who has left Caicedo in the shade
(BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)
