Liverpool in talks to sign Stuttgart midfielder Wataru Endo

Liverpool have opened negotiations with VfB Stuttgart as they pursue a deal for Japanese midfielder Wataru Endo.

The 30-year-old has emerged as a surprising transfer target for the Reds, and Fabrizio Romano reports they have launched an official proposal to get the deal done.

Endo unsurprisingly wants the move meaning personal terms will not be a problem, so the onus is on Liverpool to strike an agreement with the Germans.

The finances surrounding the potential transfer have not been disclosed. But the Reds could close the deal for less than €10 million, considering the player is valued at €6.5m on Transfermarkt.

The Japanese holding midfielder can also be deployed as a centre-half which perhaps caught Liverpool’s attention, with the Reds keen to reinforce those positions this summer.

Endo joined Stuttgart from Belgian club Sint-Truidense in 2020 and has featured for the Germans 133 times over the last three years.

He was an ever-present figure for Stuttgart last term, missing just one Bundesliga match while bagging five goals and five assists in 33 league outings.

With the closing stages of his career on the horizon, Liverpool offers the Japanese midfielder a chance for one more huge pay-day as his imminent transfer will undoubtedly come with a bumper pay rise.

However, this has all the markings of another panic buy from the Reds, who have been thwarted at every turn in their quest to plug their midfield gap this summer.

Liverpool pulled off a similar transfer last year when they signed Arthur on a season-long loan from Juventus in a desperate attempt to bolster their midfield options.

The Brazilian made more appearances for their reserve team than he did for Jurgen Klopp’s side before returning to Juventus.

Liverpool will hope Endo’s time at Anfield unfolds differently, but it is hardly a transfer that will get the supporters off their seats.

The Reds still have Cheick Doucoure, Boubacar Kamara, Ibrahim Sangare and Joao Palhinha on their shortlist and will hope to sign at least one of them before the transfer window closes.