Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo has discussed his future at Anfield, admitting he is “happy to be a part of this club”, despite being a squad player.
The Japanese has been such a solid option for the Reds since joining in the summer of 2023, putting his experience to good use.
On Sunday, Endo produced a typically understated but important cameo in the 2-1 win at home to Wolves, winning free-kicks when Liverpool were on the ropes late in the day.
Speaking to LFCTV [via This Is Anfield], Endo dropped an encouraging update regarding his future, saying he is content where he is.
“I know what I have to do on the pitch and even though I’ve only got five or 10 minutes I just try to show myself,” Endo said.
“It’s what I always try. Actually I don’t mind which position I play, because I used to play as a defender as well.
“The only thing I can do is to show myself every time I have a chance, just keep working hard. I’m still happy to be a part of this club and I can still feel like I can do something for this club.”
A brilliant squad player for Liverpool
While Endo is never going to be a regular starter under Arne Slot, assuming all of Liverpool’s midfielders are fit, there is no reason why he can’t continue to play a key role moving forward.
The 32-year-old is contracted until the summer of 2027, so there is no need to offer him an extension any time soon, but selling him in the near future would be an error, with Slot hailing him earlier this year, saying:
“Wherever you play him, Wata is like, ‘Yeah, I’ll do my best, whenever you play me.’ So, if it’s five minutes before the end, he comes in and gives everything he has. That might be normal for a lot of fans to hear, but for as long as I’ve been in football I’ve seen players who’ve had to come in five minutes before the end also doing different things and showing different energy than Wata shows.”
Hopefully, Endo is only needed sporadically for Liverpool, meaning that the likes of Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszklai are fit, but he is a strong option if needed.
