Liverpool have already signed Wataru Endo’s potential heir and Arne Slot has another option up his sleeve

Richard Hughes has a difficult decision to make regarding Wataru Endo’s future. The Japan captain joined Liverpool last summer but could already be heading for the exit door.

Marseille made a bid of $15.2m (£11.8m/€14m), which the Reds rejected. Journalist David Lynch reported that “a higher offer could tempt the Reds to sell”, so this saga is far from over.

Most observers would suggest that Liverpool need to increase their stock of defensive midfielders, not decrease it. While that may be true, the club may have already acquired Endo’s long-term heir apparent, with new head coach Arne Slot having other viable options for the position.

READ MORE: 4 transfer options to replace Wataru Endo as Liverpool could be ‘tempted’ by bigger offer
READ MORE: Wataru Endo has already sent clear transfer message to Arne Slot as Liverpool reject bid for midfielder

The main candidate is Stefan Bajcetic. He was signed from Celta Vigo in December 2020 for a fee of around $287,000 (£224,000/€266,000). That looked like a bargain almost as soon as he stepped on the pitch for the first team.

The 19-year-old made 19 appearances in 2022/23 but was only able to add another three to his career tally from last season due to injuries. Slot admitted as much when talking about Bajcetic after Friday’s 1-0 win over Real Betis.

“I think you have to take into account with Stefan that he was away for a year, almost a year and a half. So if a young player is out for that long, you have to give him some time,” he said.

“But we’ve already seen some good moments from him today and also some moments where he’s been caught out for going a bit too slowly. But I think it’s normal if you’ve been out that long (and) then you need rhythm, you need playing time to grow even more,” Slot continued. “But I think he showed some good moments in the half hour he played.”

Another youngster who got a chance to shine against Betis was Tyler Morton. Unlike Bajcetic, he joined Liverpool’s academy at the age of seven. He also played a lot more football in 2023/24, enjoying a successful loan spell in the Championship with Hull City.

Morton proved his ability to play there as well. He was ranked in the top 100 midfielders globally for keeping possession in high-pressure situations by the CIES Football Observatory, a fact that will surely impress Slot. The Liverpool boss may not need an immediate replacement if Endo does eventually leave. Whether he opts for Bajcetic or Morton as the main defensive midfielder remains to be seen.

Liverpool.com says: As talented as the young midfielders are, it would be a mistake to approach a season as important as the first Slot without experienced players for such an important position. Equally, perhaps Endo’s exit would prove the training of youth. Should the Japan international leave, there will be clamor from supporters for further signings.