Wataru Endo is officially a Liverpool player after the club announced his arrival from Stuttgart.
The 30-year-old joins on a long-term deal from the Bundesliga club and is expected to slot into Jurgen Klopp’s squad ahead of next weekend’s trip to face Newcastle United at St. James’ Park. It remains to be seen if clearance will come in time for Bournemouth today.
Liverpool’s manager was full of praise for his new recruit, highlighting his experience with four years in the Bundesliga plus Endo’s role as captain of his former club and also captain of the Japan National Team as significant factors in the rapid turnaround of getting the deal over the line.
Of course leadership is a key trait the Reds partly lost following the departures of Jordan Henderson and James Milner earlier in the summer. There is a five-man group of standard-setters within the squad, rejigged to make Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold captain and vice-captain last month, but Endo will add another asset to the dressing room.
But there is one issue brewing for further down the line this season.
Japan are on course to feature in the next edition of the AFC Asian Cup – their continent’s quadrennial tournament – and are expected to go deep into the competition in search of a first title since 2011.
The last edition took place in 2019 and the next was supposed to take place between June and July this year in China, although the country’s Zero-COVID policy resulted in a relocation. Qatar was then assigned hosting duties, but as was the case with the World Cup, summer temperatures were deemed unplayable so the dates were shifted to January 12 – February 10, 2024.
This means Endo could miss at least four weeks of Liverpool’s current campaign, during which time they are currently listed to play four Premier League matches without any rescheduling having taken place. And depending how far the team go in each competition, he could also be out of action for League Cup and FA Cup action.
Of course the squad’s injury list at that point is currently unknown but with Stefan Bajcetic the only other recognised, senior defensive-minded midfielder – it would make even more sense if Klopp and his advisors entered the market for another player in that position ahead of the 11pm, September 1 deadline.
This is not the say the amount that was bid on Moises Caicedo last week – £110m – will be splashed before then, but £16m of that total spent on Endo theoretically leaves a healthy budget at the club’s disposal should the right target emerge.
Speaking in his press conference yesterday ahead of the Bournemouth game, Klopp refused to rule out further business this summer as he said: “The window is still open and until then pretty much everything can happen. On the outgoing side, nothing will happen. Incoming, there is still time so let’s have a look.”
One potential target that has emerged closer to home and within the usual lower age bracket is Cheick Doucoure, 23, of Crystal Palace. Having scuppered Chelsea’s next plan by tying down Michael Olise down with a new contract, both the Independent and Guardian claimed the Eagles are anticipating Anfield chiefs to follow up on their interest in the Mali international.
Heading back to the Bundesliga, two long-rumoured names have once again come to the fore – Ryan Gravenberch of Bayern Munich and Manu Kone of Borussia Monchengladbach – with fresh suggestions of interest from the Reds following Endo’s arrival. On Friday, BILD suggested interest in the former could go one step further with Klopp eyeing a £20m bid.
Liverpool will also be without Mohamed Salah for a spell in January, as he competes with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. That tournament gets underway on January 13 and runs to February 11, a very similar schedule to the Asian Cup. Mali have also qualified, so Doucoure could be in action too – impacting whoever he is playing for at club level by then.
