Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo left out of Japan’s Olympic squad

New Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has received a boost ahead of the start of pre-season training after midfielder Wataru Endo was left out of Japan’s squad for the Olympics.

The national team wanted to include the 31-year-old as one of their three over-age players in a predominantly under-23 squad for the Paris Games, which start later this month.

However, head coach Go Oiwa told a press conference in Tokyo the “restrictions” the Japanese Football Association had to work under in relation to European players – as the Olympics does not fall in FIFA-designated window – had influenced their selection with no over-age players selected.

Liverpool return to training on Friday, when Slot will host his first press conference since being named Jurgen Klopp’s successor.

The players returning will be a mixture of senior and fringe players, due to Euro 2024 and Copa America involvement, but among those expected are Mohamed Salah – whom Egypt wanted for the Olympics but are increasingly resigned to being disappointed – Endo and Curtis Jones, who was cut from England’s extended squad before they travelled to Germany.