Liverpool moved to acquire young Premier League defensive midfielders Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, but failed to secure both players.
Compared to the Ecuadorian national team, the transfer fee was about one-fifth, or even one-sixth, of the total amount spent to reinforce the team.
Immediately after joining the team, he struggled with England’s speed and team tactics, but by last December, he was very active. Despite a string of injuries, he has found his place and is now an indispensable player at the bottom of midfield.
He also performed well in the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea, winning his first title of the season.
After the trophy presentation, coach Jurgen Klopp noted the performance of the Japanese captain, who had made great strides with the young players he had placed his trust in despite not being able to make enough substitutions.
Also he said Wataru is outstanding in terms of ability and expects to sign a new contract in a few years, regardless of his age.
“A good development, huh? Yeah, I said it a couple of times we were lucky. We bring him in and obviously Wataru, I’m pretty sure in three [or] four years Wataru will sign another long-term contract at Liverpool just because he might be 30 or 31 on his passport but he’s not. He’s a machine. He is footballing-wise exceptional. His defensive brain is outstanding. He gives us a lot of freedom for a lot of things. Yeah, top development. Very helpful, very helpful.”
In the League Cup final, Ryan Gravenberch was also placed on the injured list after eating a tackle on Caicedo’s ankle. After the match, Endo was also caught walking on crutches, and even he is not available for free.
The former Stuttgart midfielder has no news of his departure at this time. He is in a position where he will have to play in every game before the injured return, and his sturdy body should help the team in their time of need.