Wataru Endo has quickly become a fan favourite at Liverpool with the midfielder putting in as much effort as possible whenever he’s used by Arne Slot.
The midfielder is now seen as the Reds’ ‘closer’ with the Liverpool manager often bringing him on towards the end of a game to ensure that they keep their lead.
And, while he may not be able to play two full games per week anymore, if he’s needed to fit into the back four or even take over from Ryan Gravenberch for a while, you know that he’s a reliable player to look towards.
His move to Liverpool came out of nowhere a couple of seasons ago with nobody expecting the Reds to invest in a 30-year-old midfielder from the Bundesliga.
However, it seems to have worked out for the best with the Japan international now managing to achieve his dream.
Wataru Endo has proven that Japanese players can play to a good standard in Europe
Japan have had a couple of impressive talents emerge from their country over the last 20 years or so.
Keisuke Honda, Shinji Kagawa and Hidetoshi Nakata are arguably the biggest names to have represented Japan, with the likes of Endo and Takefusa Kubo the country’s best players at the moment.
And, after Ibrahima Konate asked Endo what it felt like to be one of the best Japanese players at the moment, the midfielder shared the perfect response.
“I wanted to show myself to improve myself as well, and it’s to show that Japanese player is very good enough to play in Europe, you know what I mean,” he said.
Wataru Endo still has a lot to offer Liverpool
Although the midfielder is now entering the twilight stages of his career, it’s clear to see that he still has a lot to offer Slot both on and off the pitch.
While Gravenberch may be the Dutchman’s preferred choice at defensive midfield, Endo is a solid back-up and will no doubt put in the maximum amount of effort possible when called upon.
Due to his age and experience, he’s also valuable as a mentor to the younger players in the team such as Trey Nyoni.
The midfielder is now entering the final two years of his deal at Anfield and, depending on how his 2025-26 season goes, the Reds may even consider adding another year onto his deal in the future.
Only time will tell what the future has in store, but with the amount of money that Slot and Richard Hughes have already spent this summer on players such as Hugo Ekitike, keeping hold of solid first-team players will be essential.
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