Wataru Endo: Profile, playing style, scouting report

The midfielder is set to add depth to the Reds’ midfield.

Wataru Endo is joining Liverpool FC from VFB Stuttgart for a €18m fee in a surprising move by the Premier League club. As their attempts to sign Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia failed, the Reds have decided to move for the Japanese international who is considered one of the best holding midfielders in the German Bundesliga.

Liverpool FC lacked depth in the midfield department after bidding farewell to players like James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Fabinho. The arrival of Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister was promising but the fans were worried about the balance in midfield without a holding midfielder.

However, Wataru Endo’s signing will certainly brush away the tensions in the fanbase regarding the midfield. His inclusion will give the club a boost and help it in achieving the seasonal objectives from the 2023-24 campaign. Here is a look at what Endo brings to the table as the Premier League prepares for his arrival:

Prior Experience

Wataru Endo is 30 years old and has plenty of experience playing club football in Europe. His first stint in football came at the youth level with Yokohama South Totsuka SC, where he played from 1999 to 2004. Moving forward, the defensive midfielder joined Shonan Bellmare in February 2011, after gaining promotion from Bellmare U18 squad. Then, he went on to sign for Urawa Reds in January 2016. 

In June 2018, Wataru Endo moved out of Japan and signed for the Belgian club Sint-Truiden. His next destination in European football took him to Germany in August 2019 where he signed for VfB Stuttgart. He joined the club on loan initially and the move became permanent in 2020. 

Speaking of VfB Stuttgart alone, Wataru Endo made 133 appearances for the club and was captain before agreeing a move to the Premier League. He also has appeared for the Japanese national team on 50 occasions, scoring twice in the process. 

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Type of Player

Wataru Endo is a defensive midfielder and acts as a pivot between the defence and the advanced midfielders. His work rate is incredible and one can see him doing the work that players like Rodrigo, Casemiro and Enzo Fernandez do for their respective clubs.

Since the start of the 2020-21 season of the Bundesliga, Endo had the most possession won in the defensive half (254), most aerial duels won (219), most clearances (175), most headed clearances (105) and second-most tackles (208). The aforementioned stats give a pretty good idea as to what LFC fans can expect from the electrifying Japanese international.

What does Wataru Endo bring to the team?

Wataru Endo is likely to take his place in Liverpool’s starting lineup in a defensive-midfield role. He will provide balance in a midfield that will likely feature Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai. Jurgen Klopp will relish working with a player who will do the dirty work of winning back possession and initiating turnovers leading to counter-attacks.

The biggest aspect of Wataru Endo coming to Liverpool FC is the squad depth. Liverpool FC found itself weak in the department after key departures in the transfer window. As the Reds look to compete in the UEFA Europa League and other cup competitions in addition to the Premier League, Endo will provide depth and a chance to rotate the players with more freedom.

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