Liverpool already monitored Wataru Endo replacement who's like N'Golo Kante and has Anfield 'dream'

Liverpool has been monitoring a potential Wataru Endo replacement since January, according to reports.

The Reds recently rejected a bid for the Japanese midfielder from French giants Marseille after their offer fell below what was paid to Stuttgart for the 31-year-old last summer. However, the Ligue 1 club could come back in again, having already flexed their financial muscles elsewhere this summer.

But should Endo leave, then Liverpool already has a potential back-up option to come in and replace him. As per a report from Italian outlet Tutto Mercato Web , Genoa's Morten Frendrup is the man in question, with the Reds supposedly “above all” other clubs in the race to sign the Danish midfielder.

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Frendrup is a relative unknown outside Serie A but Liverpool is said to have been monitoring him since January following some impressive performances in Italy last season. The 23-year-old made 39 appearances in all competitions, scoring twice and providing six assists.

His performances even earned him comparisons to French midfielder N'Golo Kante, according to a report from TBRfootball , with his main strength being his defensive capabilities, which is just what Liverpool need if they aim to solve their defensive midfielder conundrum.

However, a bidding war could be about to ensue, with the Tutto Mercato Web adding that an unnamed club has already come in with a (£21m/€25m) offer. But with interest from Liverpool believed to have been “raining down” on Frendrup since the end of last season, with plenty of enquiries made, it's thought it could well be from the Reds.

Genoa is said to consider Frendrup as unsellable, although it shouldn't take anything too substantial to pry him away from the Italian outfit, who signed him from Brondby in January 2022. The Dane penned a four-and-a-half-year deal for an undisclosed fee after moving from his homeland, which was widely reported to be just €3.5 million.

As a result, it's not expected that a substantial amount of money will be needed to sign Frendrup, who is yet to make his international bow for Denmark. Although he has two years remaining on his current contract in Italy, Liverpool should have the funds required to secure a purchase.

And that could become even more likely given Frendrup's previous comments in a 2018 interview with Danish outlet Sjællandske Nyheder . A 16-year-old Frendrup speaks about his dreams of becoming a professional footballer and reveals that his favorite club is Liverpool, and he dreams of moving to Anfield in the future .

"It's a dream I've always had, and I believe it will succeed. If I work hard, I believe in it," Frendrup said. The picture of a Fernando Torres poster also makes an appearance in the article, with the caption referring to the former striker as Frendrup’s idol.