What Can Wataru Endo Provide to Liverpool’s Midfield?

Wataru Endo’s ability to cover ground makes it feel as if you’re playing with an extra man. But, even still, it seems like a rather cruel initiation for Liverpool to put his word to the test by playing the majority of his first two appearances for the club with 10 men -- following that up with a brief cameo in their 3-0 win against Aston Villa.

Endo, though, is a character used to leading teams through adversity. With his brand of high-energy football dragging Stuttgart to safety by the slimmest of margins in back-to-back seasons. Their relegation play-off win over Hamburg in June was a fitting parting gift to a club he captained with such esteem, with Endo making the move to Liverpool for £16 million and penning a deal through 2027.

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The Japanese midfielder’s evolution stands as a feat of engineering in a city widely referred to as ‘the cradle of the automobile.' With an engine that never runs out and a durability that saw him clock up 133 appearances in just four seasons. Endo is less so a Rolls Royce of a player than that dependable family car, which your dad just can’t bear the thought of replacing.