At the end of the 2022/23 campaign, Liverpool trudged off the pitch against Southampton following a 4-4 draw in the Premier League, having failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 2016.
It was clear, brutally so, that a long-serving and long-thriving midfield consisting of stalwarts like Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Fabinho, had passed their sell-by date and were no longer fit for purpose in the heavy metal brand of football that Klopp so wonderfully stamped on Merseyside, lifting Liverpool to new heights following his appointment in 2015.
Jurgen Klopp might be stepping down from his role as helmsman at Anfield this summer, ending a near-nine-year stay, and there might be some upset surrounding the late-season slump that has seen Liverpool pulled away from the gripping Premier League title race, but the masterful summer rebuild of 2023 has left the club in an exciting position.
What will be the priority of soon-to-arrive manager Arne Slot, who will be anointed as the heir to Klopp's throne on Merseyside after the 2022/23 campaign's conclusion, having enjoyed a trophy-laden, successful tenure at Feyenoord in his Dutch homeland?
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano understands that bolstering the backline will take precedence, but Slot may well need to strengthen his midfield too, especially concerning the No. 6 position.
Why Slot must replace Wataru Endo
Right on the cusp of the 2023/24 campaign's opener, Liverpool fumbled the bag in their pursuit of a new defensive midfielder, losing out on both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea and setting off alarm bells at Anfield.
However, Klopp and temporary sporting director Jorg Schmadtke made a shrewd venture overseas, signing Wataru Endo from Stuttgart for a £16m fee.
It was, frankly, a move that was met with a chorus of surprise from the Reds fanbase, but the 31-year-old Japan star has impressed through his industrious and composed approach in the centre of the park, proving claims from those such as Bundesliga commentator Kevin Hatchard that Liverpool had astutely secured a "proper warrior and leader".
While Endo started slowly in England, he cemented a regular starting berth in the Premier League as the campaign approached the winter months, even being crowned Liverpool's Player of the Month for December.
Across all competitions, the £50k-per-week ace has featured 41 times for Klopp's senior squad, scoring three goals and providing one assist.
Considering the paltry fee paid to bring him to the club in comparison to Chelsea's staggering outlay for Caicedo and Lavia, there's every reason to rejoice over such a sharp addition – especially after triumphing over the Blues in the Carabao Cup final in February, a match that saw Endo handed a 9/10 match rating by the Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle.
However, he's certainly fallible and was handed a 6/10 score as Liverpool's fading title hopes hit rock bottom during last weekend's draw against West Ham United, with Endo fading himself as the contest went on.
Matches played
26
Matches started
17
Goals
1
Pass completion
88%
Key passes per game
0.5
Ball recoveries per game
3.4
Dribbles per game
0.3 (67%)
Tackles per game
1.5
Interceptions per game
0.7
Clearances per game
1.0
Duels won per game
3.8 (44%)
As per FBref, Endo ranks among the top 13% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted, the top 20% for pass completion and the top 9% for aerial duels won per 90, showcasing his expertise of the core qualities that shape an effective No. 6.
But the table above highlights deficiencies that preclude him from claiming a seat among the upper echelon of deep-lying midfielders across Europe, winning just 44% of his 3/8 duels per game. Rodri, for example, comes out on top in 60% of his six contested duels per game.
One analyst even remarked that "he would struggle" if placed into another midfield, with his environment within Anfield's walls enhancing and brightening his qualities.
With Klopp leaving and Slot demanding a double-pivot at the heart of the pitch, Endo might not be the answer, and while it would be an ill-advised move to ship him on this summer, he must be axed from the starting line-up and handed more of a bit-part role in the future.
Who could replace Endo at Liverpool
Well-known analyst Raj Singh believes that Fabinho, who was widely criticised last season for his role in Liverpool's collapse – noted for his "awful" performances by pundit Jamie Carragher, for example – "better than what any Liverpool defensive midfielder has done this season", after being sold to Al-Ittihad last summer.
That's not to say that Liverpool's Brazilian stalwart would be the perfect solution, but it does illuminate the need for a solution, especially with Klopp closing the door on his Liverpool journey.
Who could replace Endo? Well, reports from Portugal in April have suggested that Liverpool have entered formal negotiations with Porto for the transfer of Alan Varela, who has a €70m (£60m) release clause and has been lauded as a "Rolls-Royce" of a player by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
The 22-year-old would certainly offer skills to cement a long-standing place at the heart of Slot's Liverpool side, perhaps benefiting from the added security of having a grizzled veteran such as Endo to guide him at Anfield.
Furthermore, Caught Offside have recently revealed that Liverpool are alongside Arsenal and Manchester United in tracking Brighton & Hove Albion's 20-year-old starlet Carlos Baleba, who is valued at £55m, as they seek to make a prudent and providential signing.
Fabinho, at his best, was called "the best" in his position worldwide by pundit and Manchester United icon Gary Neville, plying his trade with steely conviction, allowing the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino to wreak havoc in the final third.
But Endo, with no disrespect, is simply not at the same level as this erstwhile phenom, and Slot simply has to ditch him from this place of power as Liverpool's first-choice defensive midfielder going forward, lest the same mistakes of this season reveal themselves like a creeping stain at the start of a new era.
Slot could upgrade on Endo with "monster" £55m Liverpool transfer
The Anfield side will undergo a series of transformations this summer…
ByAngus Sinclair Apr 29, 2024