Carragher says Liverpool should have cut Endo immediately

Jamie Carragher has told Liverpool that Japanese midfielder Wataru Endo should have been let go, insisting the 33‑year‑old is ‘never going to play’ under new boss Andoni Iraola. His comments come as Endo has been omitted from Liverpool’s 25‑man Champions League squad and is set to miss the first eight European fixtures.

Endo arrived at Anfield in the summer of 2023 and quickly became a cult hero, making 44 appearances and scoring three goals in his debut season, including a League Cup triumph. Injuries and successive managerial changes have limited his minutes in recent years.

European squad snub

Being left out of the Champions League league‑phase roster means Endo will miss Liverpool’s opening eight European games. UEFA regulations require at least eight home‑grown players, forcing Andoni Iraola to make tough choices.

A Getty image shows Endo making just 12 appearances in all competitions for Arne Slot last term, his progress hampered by an ongoing ankle problem.

Liverpool omit Chiesa from Champions League squad amid injury crisis

Squad selection dilemmas

Alongside Endo, Federico Chiesa was also excluded, despite arriving in 2024, while Giovanni Leoni, Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike – all still recovering from long‑term injuries – were retained in the squad. Twenty‑one‑year‑old James McConnell made the cut despite not featuring for the first team since the 2024/25 season. The club must also balance the limit of 17 non‑home‑grown players, a factor Carragher highlighted.

“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. Chiesa has played just 66 minutes in the Premier League this calendar year.” He added, “They have got Chiesa and Endo. It’s like they are never going to kick a ball.”

Carragher warns Endo and Chiesa are doomed under Iraola

Last season injuries restricted Endo to just 12 outings, and a foot problem on the eve of the World Cup forced him to miss the tournament and announce his retirement from international football. Carragher argued a summer exit would have been in Endo’s best interests, calling him “a bit of a cult hero” who should have been moved on.