OFFICIAL: Japan international Endo begins new Liverpool adventure

Jurgen Klopp's hunt for a defensive midfielder has come to an end. The Reds have signed Wataru Endo from Bundesliga side Stuttgart for 20 million euros.
The Anfield outfit wanted to further strengthen their midfield with a more defensive player following the arrivals of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai. The Japanese international comes as a surprising addition to the Liverpool squad, with new German sporting director Jorg Schmadtke the architect of the deal.
"Experienced player, captain of Stuttgart, captain of Japan, speaks good English, nice fella, family man, machine on the pitch, good footballer on top of that, sensational attitude. So, I'm really happy. He's a good footballer, very experienced and loves to work extremely hard," Klopp told reporters.
The 30-year-old completed medical tests on Thursday and put pen to paper to play in a Liverpool shirt for the 2023/24 season. The midfielder has fulfilled a dream by being able to play in the Premier League, said his former manager Sebastian Hoeness.
"At the age of 30 he now has the opportunity to join Liverpool in the Premier League. It's a dream of his," he told reporters when he confirmed Endo's transfer.
His contract with the German club was due to expire in June 2024 but he was hoping to be renewed. Hoeness said they did not want to lose their key player but that the "economic package is good" from Stuttgart's point of view.