According to a report, Slot has given Hughes the go-ahead to sell a Liverpool player who has only featured for 84 minutes this season.

Slot grants Hughes permission to offload a Liverpool player who has only logged 84 minutes of game time this season, according to a report.

Arne Slot has reportedly tasked Richard Hughes with offloading a Liverpool player during the January transfer window.

According to Football Insider, the 46-year-old manager is open to the idea of letting Wataru Endo leave permanently this winter to raise funds for the acquisition of a younger defensive midfielder to complement Ryan Gravenberch.

Even though Gravenberch has had a brilliant start to the season, Slot is still looking to bolster that area of the squad with younger talent. Endo, who has only logged 84 minutes in Liverpool’s first nine matches, mostly appearing in a heavily rotated Carabao Cup victory over West Ham, may not fit into Slot’s long-term plans.

The fact that Liverpool had scouts watching Ederson during Atalanta’s match against Shakhtar Donetsk hints that Slot may not fully trust Endo – who turns 32 in February – to fulfill his expectations in the number 6 role. However, unless Hughes is certain about bringing in a young defensive midfielder in January, the club should be cautious before deciding to part with their current number 3.

Last December, Trent Alexander-Arnold praised Endo for being a “game changer” with “great technique” and “outstanding professionalism” after he scored in Liverpool’s 4-3 win against Fulham.

While the Japanese international has seen limited action under Slot, Liverpool’s busy season will require contributions from every player. Gravenberch seems to have secured his place in the starting lineup, but if he were to face a long-term absence, Endo’s value to the team might become more evident.