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

Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo has been omitted from Japan’s Olympic squad (Peter Byrne/PA)

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.