Liverpool announced the signing of Japanese midfielder Wataru Endo to the club on Friday, August 18th. According to reports, the deal is worth £16 million over 4 years.
“I'm very happy right now and I'm so excited to join a big club in Liverpool,” Endo told reporters at his introductory press conference. “It feels amazing and this is my dream. It's always [been] a dream to play [in the] Premier League and with one of the biggest clubs in the world. It's a dream come true for me."
Endo comes to Anfield after spending the past 4 seasons with Bundesliga side Stuttgart. During his time in German's top division, Endo scored 15 goals in 133 appearances. He has also played for Belgium and Japan during his career. On the International level, Endo has earned 50 caps for Japan, scoring two goals.
For Liverpool, Endo will wear the #3 shirt and play as a #6 in the midfield.
“I play as a No.6 and I'm like a bit more [of a] defensive player,” he said. “I think I can help this club defensively and I will have good organisation in the middle. I think that's my job. I am very excited to join this club and I am looking forward to seeing you at Anfield!"
Jürgen Klopp is equally excited to have Endo in Liverpool colours.
“I'm really happy. Wataru is a really good player,” Klopp said. “I know in this world of football how it goes and stuff like this, but have a look, have a look, because he's a really good player. Experienced player, captain of Stuttgart, captain of Japan, speaks good English, nice fella, family man, machine on the pitch, good footballer on top of that, a sensational attitude. So, I'm really happy. He's a good footballer, very experienced and loves to work extremely hard.”
LFC Globe Verdict
Liverpool's midfield continues to take shape after that position saw a lot of change in personnel in the off-season. Liverpool have tried different players in that #6 midfield role with varying degrees of success, but Endo should bring stability to that spot.