Wataru Endo, a 30-year-old midfielder who represents Japan internationally, was unexpectedly acquired by Liverpool on Wednesday. Jurgen Klopp's team had previously lost out to Chelsea on Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, but Endo now has a four-year contract at Anfield that runs until 2027.
Wataru Endo, a midfielder from Japan, has been officially announced as a Liverpool player. The deal is still pending a work permit and international clearance.
With a four-year, £16.2 million contract that will keep him at Anfield through 2027, the 30-year-old Japan international has committed to Liverpool.
Endo, who joins Liverpool after spending the last four seasons at Stuttgart, where he made 133 appearances and scored 15 goals, said on the club's website: "I'm very happy right now and I'm so excited to join a big club in Liverpool."This is my dream, and it feels incredible. Playing for one of the top teams in the world and in the Premier League has always been a goal of mine. I'm living my dream right now.
I'll be playing at Anfield for the first time when the game takes place. The prospect of playing at Anfield in front of Liverpool supporters excites me.
I'm like a little bit more of a defensive player and I play as a No. 6 in the team. In addition to having outstanding organisation in the midfield, I believe I can aid this team defensively. I believe that's my responsibility.
Following fruitless attempts to capture Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo, both of whom joined Chelsea, Liverpool turned its attention to Endo.
After captain Jordan Henderson and Fabinho left the team to go to Saudi Arabia, Endo joins Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai at Anfield as part of the team's midfield revamp.
Andrew Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Szoboszlai are among the other Liverpool players who have served as national team captains, and Endo, who has led both Stuttgart and Japan, adds to their ranks with his proven leadership abilities.
I'm ecstatic right now. Jurgen Klopp, manager of Liverpool, remarked that Wataru is a pretty talented player. "I understand how things operate in the world of football and other such things, but look at him; he's a really fantastic player.
"Experienced player, captain of Stuttgart and Japan, speaks good English, is a great guy and a family man, is a machine on the pitch and, on top of that, is a terrific football player, and has a sensational mentality. I'm thus really pleased. He is an accomplished football player who enjoys working very hard.
Strengthening Liverpool's engine room is Endo.
The Liverpool engine room will benefit greatly from Endo's presence. Although he can play centre half and as a holding midfielder, his primary position is that of a central midfielder.
"Jurgen Klopp has brought him in to cover the holding post left vacant by Fabinho and Jordan Henderson. After missing out on Moises Caicedo, Liverpool needed to bring in a player with some experience for the centre of their midfield.
Who is the latest Liverpool acquisition Endo?
Endo, who has 50 Japan appearances to his credit, has spent the previous three Bundesliga seasons as a fixture in the middle of Stuttgart's midfield. Endo turned 30 in February, so he is hardly a kid.
His statistics from the previous season showed that he was among the top three midfielders in the Bundesliga for recovering lost balls, and he also performed well in passing and tackling measures.
Who will be moving during the summer transfer window, which begins on June 14 and closes on September 1 at 11 p.m. in England and midnight in Scotland?
In our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports' online platforms, stay up to speed with all the most recent transfer news and speculations. Sky Sports News is a good place to keep up with the details and analysis.
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