Following a solid start to the current Premier League campaign, Fulham are now reportedly monitoring one player who would finally replace Joao Palhinha after his summer departure to Bayern Munich.
Fulham transfer news
Having impressed at times last season, Fulham became a difficult side to predict when they lost Palhinha to Bayern Munich in the summer, only to since put any doubts to rest over their ability to compete for a place in the Premier League’s top half. The Cottagers even took champions Manchester City all the way last time out before eventually suffering a 3-2 defeat in a game that featured an early assist of the season from Raul Jimenez.
Sitting as high as eighth thanks to their strong start, Fulham deserve credit for how they invested the Palhinha money in the summer, with arrivals such as Emile Smith Rowe and Joachim Andersen quickly becoming important players under Marco Silva. However, what the Cottagers did fail to do is replace Palhinha in a problem that they must solve in 2025.
According to Caught Offside, Fulham are now monitoring Wataru Endo ahead of 2025 as he continues to struggle for minutes under new Liverpool boss Arne Slot. Open to an exit, the Reds reportedly value the Japan international at around €15-20m (£13-£17m) in a deal that could see them make back the £16m they paid for his signature just last summer.
Whilst on paper it may seem as though Endo has struggled at Anfield as of late, he’s simply fallen victim to the excellent form of Ryan Gravenberch and, as such, fallen into the bit-part role that many believed he’d play when he first arrived.
Surprising many at Anfield last season by becoming a key man under Jurgen Klopp, Endo would undoubtedly ease any blow caused by Palhinha’s exit at Fulham.
"Outstanding" Endo can match Palhinha's quality
Off the ball, Palhinha was one of the standout midfielders in the Premier League, making his move to Bayern no surprise in the summer, but it’s the type of quality that Endo is more than capable of replicating if Fulham make their move. At times, the former Stuttgart captain was the glue holding Liverpool’s midfield together. From what seemed like a panic buy, the Reds found the perfect short-term solution to their defensive midfield woes.
Progressive Carries
10
8
Progressive Passes
101
97
Tackles Won
28
75
Ball Recoveries
108
195
Whilst Endo, like many others last season, fell short of Palhinha on the tackling front, he more than made up for that on the ball in a quality which would prove to be equally as valuable for Silva’s Fulham side.
The 32-year-old earned the praise of former manager Jurgen Klopp after Liverpool’s Carabao Cup final victory over Chelsea last season, with the German saying via Squawka: “He’s a machine. He is footballing-wise exceptional. His defensive brain is outstanding. He gives us a lot of freedom for a lot of things. Yeah, top development. Very helpful, very helpful.”