The Balance Point: Endo’s Role in Liverpool 2025

When Liverpool’s midfield rebuild kicked into gear in the summer of 2023, most fans envisioned marquee signings: young, athletic, and box-office names who could dominate Europe for the next decade. So, when the club announced the £16 million signing of 30-year-old Wataru Endo from VfB Stuttgart, the reaction was mixed. Some called it pragmatic, others panicked. Most viewed it as a stopgap solution to Liverpool’s failure to land Moisés Caicedo or Roméo Lavia.

But now, nearly a full season later, Endo’s name commands something rare in modern football — quiet respect. He may not post flashy highlights or viral moments, but game after game, minute by minute, he provides the very thing every title contender craves: stability.

Wataru Endo might be the most underrated player in the Premier League.

From Afterthought to Anchor

Endo arrived with credentials — captain of Japan, Bundesliga leader in duels won, admired for his tenacity — but his age and relatively modest profile meant expectations were muted. He wasn’t a project. He wasn’t “the future.” He was depth.

Yet from the moment he first stepped onto the pitch in red, something became clear: this wasn’t just a seasoned pro plugging a hole. This was a player who could influence the very rhythm of Liverpool’s midfield.

His reading of the game is superb. He doesn’t need to sprint constantly because he rarely finds himself out of position. He tracks runners without fouling, intercepts passing lanes that others overlook, and — critically — maintains his composure under pressure.

Where Liverpool’s midfield often felt chaotic and reactive during the 2022–23 decline, Endo brought calm. And he did it without demanding attention.

The “Closer” Nobody Saw Coming

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of Endo’s Liverpool career has been the development of his role as a “closer.”

Like a relief pitcher in baseball, Endo has become Arne Slot’s (and before him, Jürgen Klopp’s) go-to solution when a game needs shutting down. Whether it’s to preserve a narrow lead or stabilize a midfield under siege, Endo enters in the final stages of the match and does exactly what’s asked.

In the 2024–25 Premier League season, Endo made 20 appearances — only one of them as a starter. Across just 257 league minutes, his impact was measurable. In matches where he came on, Liverpool almost never conceded after his arrival. According to The Sun, the Reds let in just one goal across his first 149 minutes of action in this late-game role. That’s not just tidy — that’s decisive.

Even more impressive: despite ranking among the top midfielders in fouls committed per 90 minutes (5.3), he wasn’t booked once across the Premier League season. It’s a stat that speaks not only to discipline but to intelligence. He knows how to disrupt without crossing the line.

The Stats Tell the Real Story

Behind the perception of “depth signing” lies a dataset that proves Endo is more than just useful — he’s elite in his niche.

• Interceptions: 6.9 per 90 minutes — the best rate in the Premier League among midfielders with over 350 minutes played.
• Tackles: 3.81 per 90 — near the top of Liverpool’s squad.
• Aerial Duels: 1.9 per 90, with a win rate in the 92nd percentile among midfielders.
• Pass Completion: 89.8%, ranking just behind Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch in Liverpool’s midfield rotation.

These aren’t the stats of a backup. These are the stats of a player who knows exactly what to do and executes it with minimal fuss.

His ball recoveries and interceptions aren’t just about racking up numbers — they’re about relieving pressure at critical moments. He doesn’t dazzle. He diffuses.

Leadership, Professionalism, and Presence

Endo isn’t a loud figure in the Liverpool dressing room, but his presence is respected. He continues to captain the Japanese national team, a role he’s held since before his move to England. In international football, he’s tasked with orchestrating from deep — the metronome who keeps Japan’s tempo in check.

At club level, that leadership expresses itself differently. He’s the ultimate professional — focused, quiet, always ready. He doesn’t demand starts, but never sulks when benched. And when his name is called? He delivers.

Endo’s teammates know they can trust him. His managers know they can rely on him. And Liverpool fans, once skeptical, now understand that his presence isn’t accidental — it’s essential.

Underrated, or Simply Understated?

There’s a reason Endo flies under the radar. He’s not young. He’s not flashy. He doesn’t dominate highlight reels or break into attacking positions with flair. But that’s precisely what makes him so rare.

In a Premier League where midfielders are often judged by their YouTube compilations, Endo is a reminder that control is just as important as creativity. That silence can sometimes speak louder than noise.

He doesn’t light up social media, but he locks down midfield zones. He doesn’t shoot from distance, but he stops counters before they start. He doesn’t demand attention. He commands respect.

Looking Ahead

As Liverpool continue to evolve under Arne Slot, Wataru Endo’s role remains more important than ever — even if it doesn't always start with his name on the team sheet. Slot’s tactical blueprint is built around control, precision, and flexibility in midfield — and while the focus may lean toward youth and dynamism, there is still a need for one thing no stat can replace: security.

Endo brings that in abundance.

Younger players like Stefan Bajčetić, Curtis Jones, and Ryan Gravenberch may represent the long-term future, and potential new signings will bring competition. But few possess the positional maturity, game awareness, and cool-under-fire temperament that Endo delivers on a weekly basis. He understands moments. When to commit. When to hold. When to recycle. When to kill a counter at the source without risking a booking.

In Slot’s more controlled system — less chaos, more calculated pressing — Endo becomes a bridge between transition and possession. He provides a rhythm that doesn’t slow Liverpool down, but steadies the flow. And when Liverpool are trying to defend a one-goal lead away at the Etihad, or close out a must-win European night at Anfield, it’s Endo’s number that will be raised.

He may never start every week. But he will finish many.

He is the midfielder you trust to see out the storm, to snuff out sparks before they become fires, and to connect back to front without ever demanding the spotlight.

At 31, he offers something even rarer than athleticism — trust. Not just from the manager, but from every player around him who knows that when Endo is on the pitch, there’s someone sweeping up behind them.

He’s not flashy. He’s not fast. He’s foundational.

He is, in every sense, a manager’s dream: low maintenance, high value, high impact. And if Liverpool lift more silverware under Slot, don’t be surprised if Wataru Endo is standing near the trophy — not with the biggest smile, but with the quiet satisfaction of someone who knows he helped carry the weight.

In Praise of the Invisible

Football has always had room for magicians and warriors, but the very best teams are built on players who hold everything together. Wataru Endo doesn’t shine brightly. He shines steadily.

And in a league defined by chaos, that kind of clarity might be the most underrated trait of all.