Wataru Endo news: What did Japanese teammate and former Liverpool player Takumi Minamino say to Endo?

Wataru Endo emerged as a surprise signing in the summer transfer window for Liverpool. The Reds were primarily focussed on midfield additions in the market and they signed a good number of players in that position. One position where they were constantly looking to improve was the holding midfielder. Liverpool were apparently interested in a few sought-after players, who ended up choosing different path.

Out of nowhere, Liverpool then went on to sign Wataru Endo from Bundesliga outfit VfB Stuttgart. Endo was an important player for his previous club and he brought that form to the Premier League, settling into life at Anfield quite quickly. There is still a lot to come from him but he has made a positive start to the season. He is now the second player from Japan to represent Liverpool’s men’s team after Takumi Minamino. He had spent two-and-a-half years at the club before departing in the summer of 2022.

Wataru Endo on Takumi Minamino

Endo revealed that he spoke with the former Liverpool player and also went on to explain what Minamino told him. “Yes, I got in touch with him. We spoke on the phone and he congratulated me on joining the club. We spoke about what Liverpool is like, and some things like that. He didn’t give me specific advice but said congratulations and that there were some Japanese staff in Liverpool as well,” he told the club’s official matchday programme.

Then shifting his focus to current Liverpool players, Endo spoke glowing about goalkeeper Alisson. “All the players have very high skills here and among them I think the goalkeeper Alisson is great. I have played with a lot of ’keepers but his ability to stop shots is excellent. Of course, the forward players have very high skills and the other players are very skilful as well, but Alisson’s ability to stop shots is brilliant. He saves the team from dangerous situations and he is very powerful,” he explained.

The Japan international also went on to explain what is his role on the pitch for Liverpool. “I am always conscious about whether I can be in the best position both defensively and offensively. When we are attacking, I see if I can be between the opponents’ forwards and midfielders, or I think how they are trying to put pressure on us. Every team has a system. I try to see which player tries to put pressure on me and change my position based on what I see – and change where to move the ball to. It is the same for defence. I see how the opponents move a ball in their system and think how I defend when a particular player makes a move. I always think about these things while playing,” he stated.

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