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are closing in on the surprise signing of 30-year-old Japanese midfielder Wataru Endo from outfit Stuttgart. 

The Japan captain has seen his profile explode in the last 24 hours, such is the reality of being linked with an elite club like Liverpool. 

And as Reds fans and supporters of rivals teams clamour to get their head around the talent set to walk through the doors at Anfield, a few questions remain: Can he fill the gaping hole at defensive midfield?Will his arrival vault Liverpool into title contention? 

Signing a player for a reported £16million fee in 2023 normally doesn’t suggest that will be the case. 

But when you combine his impressive statistical profile in the Bundesliga with the reaction of Stuttgart fans to news of his departure and his intangible qualities – highlighted best in his role as captain for both club and country – Jurgen Klopp’s perceived consolation prize may prove to be so much more.  

Unlike many of his compatriots, Endo didn’t leave his native Japan until the age of 25, landsholdstrøje by which point he had turned out for J-League sides Urawa Red Diamonds and Shonan Bellmare. 

A relatively fruitless two-year spell in Belgian followed before he made his mark, initially on-loan, at then-Bundesliga 2 side Stuttgart. 

The midfielder didn’t make his debut until matchday 12, but by the end of the season he had helped them earn an immediate return to the top-flight and established himself as one of the most important players at the club. 

The next campaign saw Endo take the captain’s armband on five occasions in the league as he started all but one game, while failing to play the full 90 minutes just once. 

Indeed, since forcing his way into the starting XI at the MHPArena in 2019 Endo has missed just four league games, twice through suspension and twice on account of injury or illness. 

That staggering level of dependability will be a major source of excitement for Klopp, who was unable to call upon the likes of Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and even Jordan Henderson for large stretches due to various ailments. 

Additionally, Endo’s ability to play both as a defensive midfielder and a central defender will give Klopp even more options for his squad management.In the last two campaigns, he has played the two positions relatively regularly while managing to maintain a presence in the attacking phase of play. 

By now most Liverpool fans would have seen his eye-catching stats since arriving in the Bundesliga that paint a picture of a player desperately needed at Anfield. 

In that time period Endo has won the most duals of any midfielder and has the second-highest number of possession and tackles won. According to Fbref, he is in the 94th percentile – only six per cent of players bettered him – for clearances per 90 – though that statistic is probably skewed by his outings at the back.