Waturo Endo wins Liverpool player of the month for December 2023
The midfielder claims the prize for the first time after topping a fan poll on Liverpoolfc.com, finishing ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah in second and third respectively.
Endo, who arrived at the club from VfB Stuttgart in August, was a standout performer in all eight of the Reds’ fixtures during the period.
Collecting the award at the AXA Training Centre today, the No.3 said: “I’m so glad to be chosen as the Player of the Month. I hope this is just one of many!
“December is a very important month, also for me, because we had so many injured players and I knew I needed to show why I’m here.
“It’s a very tough month but the way we played and how we showed on the pitch was great, in my opinion.”
Endo began the month with a crucial cameo off the bench in the come-from-behind 4-3 win over Fulham, scoring a wonderful curler in front of the Kop to draw Liverpool level.
He then started the next seven fixtures as Jürgen Klopp’s men achieved victories against Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, West Ham United and Burnley.
The 30-year-old, who is now set to link up with Japan for the AFC Asian Cup, continued: “My first [Premier League] goal against Fulham was [a] great [moment] and the atmosphere at Anfield was amazing. That was a special moment for me.
“It was a difficult situation for us because we were 3-2 down and we just needed to score. I came in and played for this crowd. It was also a surprise for me to score! But I was so happy.
“I needed time to adapt so the most important thing was to keep playing, in my opinion.
“In December I just kept playing the games and I had to keep playing because we had many injured players. So I was a little bit lucky but I just needed to keep playing I think.”
Bid on the limited-edition Standard Chartered x Futuremakers trophy signed by Endo – more details coming soon at www.charitystars.com/scfm
Why you voted for Endo
Jimbo: A great player! Love him! He is a main man in midfield.
Thom Quinn: He’s been bossing the midfield. What a player. So glad we have him at Liverpool.
Nigel Coady: Played all the games, vital job breaking up play and contributed with a great goal v Fulham.
Reece Daniels: He’s a proper quality midfielder and always putting in the graft.
Jeffrey Varner: Has really grown into his place in the team at a very crucial time, scored and been a solid rock in the CDM role.
James Ellis: The guy’s been absolutely solid, getting better and better with every game. First name on the teamsheet for me.
Standard Chartered Men’s Player of the Month 2023-24
December: Wataru Endo
November: Mohamed Salah
October: Mohamed Salah
September: Mohamed Salah
August: Dominik SzoboszlaiLiverpool manager Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool have altered their transfer strategy and cooled off their contingency plans following news a deal every Reds fan would love is there for the making, per a report.
Liverpool sit top of the table and are once again entrenched in a genuine title race. Jurgen Klopp’s side are greatly benefitting from their sweeping midfield rebuild that saw the likes of Wataru Endo and Dominik Szoboszlai arrive last summer.
Further reinforcements could arrive in the winter window, with ESPN previously reporting the club’s budget is around £40m. Liverpool have signed major names for roughly that figure in January before, such as Cody Gakpo (2023) and Luis Diaz (2022).
However, today’s update regards arguably the ultimate Liverpool objective – convincing Mohamed Salah to extend his stay on Merseyside and reject the Saudi Pro League.
The Egyptian winger, 31, remains one of the world football’s most potent attacking threats.
Salah is currently joint-top of the Premier League’s scoring chart this season with Erling Haaland (14 goals). Liverpool’s right winger is showing no signs of slowing down despite being the wrong side of 30 and has also racked up an impressive eight assists.
Salah was the subject of a gigantic £150m verbal offer from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad in the off-season.
Liverpool flatly refused to sell their star forward and any reignited attempts to prise Salah out of Anfield this month will also fail.
However, speculation has swirled Salah could be sold at season’s end. At that stage, Salah will be nearing his 32nd birthday and will also have entered the final year of his contract that expires in 2025.
The lure of collecting a colossal sum for a player with less than 12 months on his deal might be difficult for owners FSG to ignore.
However, the Athletic’s ultra-reliable David Ornstein suggested it’s not a guarantee that Salah leaves Liverpool in 2024.
Speaking in a Q&A in November, the journalist also hinted a contract extension is possible.
Asked if there were any new noises around a move to Al-Ittihad for Salah, Ornstein replied: “No, other than I don’t think it’s set in stone he goes.
“I’ve even had some suggestions he would quite like to stay and continue to compete at the highest level in Europe. It’s a major decision for player and club, of course.”
Salah news every Liverpool fan wanted
Now, according to online outlet Football Transfers, Liverpool have shifted their transfer stance after learning Salah is very much open to penning fresh terms.
The report comes by way of a joint effort with Anfield Watch and claims Liverpool had actively been sounding out wingers in the market who’d be signed as Salah’s replacement.
However, the Egyptian’s ‘openness to a contract renewal’ has prompted Liverpool to scale back their winger pursuit, with the focus now shifting to thrashing out a fresh agreement with Salah.
The report insists Salah is now ‘inching closer’ to signing a new deal that would keep arguably the world’s best winger in red for at least a few more years.
Such a development would no doubt be greeted with joy among the Anfield faithful. Losing a player of Salah’s calibre at a time when Liverpool are a genuine threat to add to their sole Premier League title would be a bitter pill to swallow.
Of course, significant funds would be generated and a replacement signed. But money simply cannot buy the type of impact Salah brings to Liverpool’s forward line.
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