Analysis: 'It’s The Sort Of Shrewd Move' - An Expert's View On Wataru Endo

Liverpool are in dire need of a defensive midfielder and it’s the worst-kept secret in football at the moment.

The Reds have lost five senior midfielders including Jordan Henderson and Fabinho who both completed their transfers to Saudi Arabia last month.

Though Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have moved to Anfield as Jurgen Klopp reshapes his engine room, the German has still set sights on bringing in a defensive midfielder.

Liverpool missed out on both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea, forcing them to switch attention to other alternatives. Several players popped up but no one expected a 30-year-old Wataru Endo.

The Japan skipper did not spring to mind for many when considering Liverpool’s summer rebuild. He may be unknown in England but Endo is highly-rated in Germany after helping Stuttgart narrowly avoid relegation last season from the Bundesliga by winning a play-off against Hamburg.

He featured in 33 league games, scored five goals, and provided four assists last term. Since moving to Stuttgart, Endo has developed into a key player for the German club, whom he captains alongside his national team.

One of the regular watchers of the Bundesliga who has witnessed the type of player Jurgen Klopp is on the verge of signing is German football expert Jasmine Baba who spoke to LFC Transfer Room for the expert lowdown on Liverpool’s potential signing.

Firstly, how is Wataru Endo viewed back in Germany?

JB: Unfortunately, he’s not viewed as highly as he should be. This is not in a negative way but he’s not normally apart of the “Who’s a good player?” discussions in the league and sometimes forgotten due to VfB Stuttgart fighting relegation for the last two seasons. If he was at e.g. Bayer Leverkusen or Eintracht Frankfurt, I feel that more people would notice him and his highly skilled way of playing.

Obviously not the sort of signing Liverpool fans would have hoped for after missing out Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia. A surprised move for you?

JB: It’s surprising, especially because of the difference in ages and profiles compared to Caicedo and Lavia. But it’s the sort of shrewd move that used to make Klopp’s Liverpool great, like Andrew Robertson and Gini Wijnaldum. Liverpool also just need players in central midfield after losing Jordan Henderson.

Do you want to just shed more light on some of the roles he’s played for Stuttgart?

JB: He’s almost exclusively played as a pivot player, just in front of the defensive line, in both as a single or paired up with another number 6. He has played as a centre-back a few times and he can play there but he works better in central midfield as a deep-lying playmaker. His advantages lie in passing, space awareness, technical ability, and also initiating dangerous attacks. To help his team he is very efficient at general defensive actions, pressing, blocking passing lanes, and is very strong in-ground duels against his opponents.

Endo has got brilliant ability but is it fair to say he brings the best out of his teammates as well?

JB: He’s definitely the vital key of unlocking his teammates, he creates both spaces for himself and his teammates to progress the ball. His passing ability to find his teammates, both long and short is also one of his best skills.

Would you say he’s somewhat of a manager’s dream in that he’s versatile, selfless, and has a lot of quality?

JB: They’ve definitely got a hard-working player who has been one of the shining stars in a relegation-battling team with experience of the sort of football Klopp likes to play and has experienced.

Finally, do you think he’s a player Liverpool fans should definitely be excited about concerning his age and low profile?

JB: I don’t think he will be a main starter so, I don’t think it’s a concern at all. He’s also younger than some of the central midfielders that just left. And as I said these are the type of low-profile moves that usually goes in Klopp’s favour.

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Analysis: ‘It’s The Sort Of Shrewd Move’ – An Expert’s View On Wataru Endo

ByJoseph Agbobli