Bleak Future! Liverpool stars issued stern warning as Iraola begins new era

Liverpool duo Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo have been warned they face a bleak future at Anfield after being excluded from the Reds Champions League squad.

New Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has released his squad for the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League but Chiesa and Endo names were omitted.

The omissions stem from strict UEFA registration rules, which allow a maximum of 17 non-locally trained players on List A. Iraola opted to allocate these precious spots to £123 million arrival Bradley Barcola, fellow summer signing Victor Munoz, and even injured forward Hugo Ekitike, leaving no room for Chiesa or Endo.

Federico Chiesa in action during the pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and AS Monaco. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has now given a blunt assessment on the player’s future at the club.

The former Reds defender claimed the pair are effectively frozen out of the new manager’s plans and suggested they should have been sold.

Speaking on The Overlap, Carragher said: “Liverpool have got two players in the squad who are never going to play,” Carragher claimed. “And there are all these quotas, you can only have 17 players and all that. They have got Chiesa and Endo. It’s like they are never going to kick a ball.”

Wataru Endo looks on during the pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and AS Monaco. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)

Carragher was particularly critical of the club’s decision to retain the Japanese midfielder this summer. “Endo should have been moved on,” he added. “He has done great, a bit of a cult hero.”

Both players have struggled to solidify long-term roles on Merseyside, despite remaining under contract until 2027 and 2028 respectively.

Endo managed just eight Premier League appearances and a single Champions League outing last season. Meanwhile, Chiesa has struggled to prove himself due to constant injury.

The 28-year-old is currently nursing a muscle injury and remains a peripheral figure. However, Iraola’s decision to register long-term absentees like Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni over Chiesa proves his worth at the club has dropped.

Liverpool take Ipswich Town on Friday before switching their attention to European matters.