Liverpool reject transfer bid from Marseille for midfielder that would have seen them take £4.5m hit

LIVERPOOL have rejected an £11.8million bid from Marseille for midfielder Wataru Endo, according to reports.

The Reds signed the Japan captain, 31, from Stuttgart last summer for £16.2m.

AP

It came as Jurgen Klopp lost holding midfielders Fabinho and Jordan Henderson.

Attempts to sign Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia failed as Chelsea snapped up both men.

Endo was then seen as a cheaper alternative and ended up playing 43 games in all competitions, scoring twice and assisting once.

Now Ligue 1 side Marseille are showing an interest in the midfielder after ex-Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi took charge of the club.

However, Liverpool have rejected their £11.8m offer that would have seen The Reds lose £4.2m on the player.

It is unclear whether Marseille will return with a second bid.

According to The Mail, the Merseyside outfit are not actively looking to offload Endo, at least until they sign a suitable replacement.

Arne Slot’s men are the only Premier League club yet to have brought in any senior players so far this summer.

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That is in stark contrast to Marseille who have already signed two men from English clubs.

They agreed a £27m deal to bring Mason Greenwood to France from Manchester United.

And Danish midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has also joined the nine-time Ligue 1 champions from Tottenham.

They have also been linked with a move for Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah.

Marseille finished eighth in the French top flight last season and failed to qualify Europe.