Liverpool beat Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final as Wataru Endo impressive performance forced Jurgen Klopp to call him “a machine”.
Jurgen Klopp has expressed confidence in Wataru Endo’s future at Liverpool, foreseeing a prosperous career for the player following his first major trophy win with the club.
Endo’s transition to Liverpool from Stuttgart during the summer transfer window took many by surprise, diverging from the anticipated signings of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia. The duo ultimately opted for Chelsea, in a combined deal worth approximately £163 million.
Despite initial skepticism due to his age of 30 and relative obscurity, Endo’s impact has been noteworthy since his arrival. Displaying exceptional performance, the Japan international notably shone throughout Liverpool’s intense 1-0 extra-time victory over Chelsea at Wembley.
This triumph contrasted with Caicedo’s outcome, who settled for a runner-up medal, while Lavia remained sidelined due to injury.
Endo’s contract at Anfield extends until the summer of 2027. Despite Klopp’s impending departure as manager, he remains optimistic that Endo will feature prominently in the long-term plans of Liverpool’s next boss.
Klopp said: “A good development, huh? Yeah, I said it a couple of times we were lucky. We bring him in and obviously Wataru, I’m pretty sure in three [or] four years Wataru will sign another long-term contract at Liverpool just because he might be 30 or 31 on his passport but he’s not.
“He’s a machine. He is footballing-wise exceptional. His defensive brain is outstanding. He gives us a lot of freedom for a lot of things. Yeah, top development. Very helpful, very helpful.”
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