Liverpool have reportedly signed a surprise deal to capture Stuttgart and Japan midfielder Wataru Endo.
The Reds have been looking for a new number six since Fabinho joined the Liverpool midfield exodus in a £40 million move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad.
The Anfield board wanted both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, and the Reds signed a £110m agreement for the former before Chelsea rushed in with a successful £115m offer.
Liverpool then shifted their focus to Southampton’s £50m-rated adolescent Lavia and belatedly got a sum approved by the Saints, but Chelsea proved to be a thorn in their side once more.
Lavia is said to have picked the Blues over Jurgen Klopp’s side, who have reportedly put up a list of alternative choices to the Stamford Bridge-bound duo in the last few days.
Cheick Doucoure of Crystal Palace and Joao Palhinha of Fulham had been linked with moves to Anfield, but according to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool will instead sign Endo.
The 30-year-old has less than a year left on his contract with the Bundesliga club, who have failed to re-sign him and have granted him permission to relocate to Merseyside.
Liverpool are set to spend roughly €18 million (£15.4 million) for Endo, who has already agreed personal terms with the Reds and will have his physical on Thursday.
Endo is said to have been dreaming of a move to Liverpool as he prepares to leave Stuttgart after a five-year stint, having arrived from Belgian side Sint-Truiden in 2019.
The 1993-born midfielder, who is also Stuttgart’s captain, has 15 goals and 12 assists in 133 appearances for the club, mostly as a defensive midfielder.
Endo, who has also played as a centre-back in his career, scored six goals and set up five more in 40 appearances for the club last season, and he scored in Stuttgart’s 4-0 DFB-Pokal first-round triumph over TSG Balingen last Saturday.
Endo, a 50-cap Japan international, has played in two World Cups and helped the Samurai Blue reach the final 16 of the Qatar tournament in 2022.
The former Urawa Reds youngster will become Liverpool’s third acquisition of the summer, following Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister, and might be registered in time to make his debut against Bournemouth on Saturday.
