Wataru Endo has admitted he’s having to ‘adapt’ to life under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool because his role is a lot different to the one he had become accustomed to at Stuttgart.
The Japan International joined the Reds from the Bundesliga outfit earlier this summer and is still adjusting to life on Merseyside.
The defensive midfielder threw in his best performance yet on Wednesday night as Klopp’s side defeated Leicester City 3-1 in the League Cup and our new No. 3 is eager to continue showing what he’s made of in a red shirt.
“I enjoyed it so much,” the 30-year-old told The Athletic. “I thought I was better than in the other games. I am happy that I was able to show who I am.
“Defensively, I’m trying to adapt. Like I played in the second half tonight, I wanted to play like that at Newcastle and in the Europa game, but I understand I needed some time. It felt so good to play the full 90 minutes and I felt like I was able to make a difference.
“If I keep playing like I did in the second half, then I hope I’ll play more in the Premier League. I feel ready. I have to perform like that in every game.”
Endo was club captain at Stuttgart and was a huge favourite amongst the fans but he simply couldn’t turn down the opportunity to fulfil his ‘dream’ and join Liverpool.
He has admitted that the pace of the game in England is a lot ‘faster’ compared to the Bundesliga and that he’s being asked to do a lot more than what he was tasked with at Stuttgart.
The Reds will seek to continue their unbeaten start to the campaign when they face Spurs in the capital tomorrow with the £16m man expected to start on the bench.
“The system is different, the game is faster and my position here is a little bit higher than it was,” Endo added.
“The manager doesn’t want me to just stay in front of the defenders. I have to go higher and try to get the ball all the time.
“Here we have to win every game, but I don’t feel pressure as a result of that. I am humble, but I have the mentality that I’m here because they believe in me. It’s exciting to be a part of it. This is my dream and I’m enjoying it. We have done great so far.”