‘He needs’ - Jurgen Klopp reveals why Wataru Endo may have cost himself a Liverpool starting spot

Jurgen Klopp has reiterated that Wataru Endo must continue to adapt if he’s to claim a Liverpool starting spot.

The midfielder joined the Reds from Stuttgart in the summer transfer window for a fee of around £16 million. Endo is the Reds; only out-and-out senior defensive midfielder in the squad but has made just two appearances from the outset so far. In the Premier League, Alexis Mac Allister has been the preferred option in the number-six role as he helped Liverpool earn a 3-1 victory over West Ham yesterday.

Endo was limited to a fleeing substitute cameo against the Hammers, although he’s in the frame to start against Leicester City in the Carabao Cup third round on Wednesday night.

Asked about the 30-year-old’s situation after the West Ham win, Klopp replied: “He needs to get used to the things here. Wataru is a super guy, very calm and very polite and that cost him the first two weeks, maybe. That’s now getting there. He is not 30 or whatever and wants to get some people out of the way to get into the team, but he is improving every day.

“You saw that today, he is there, he will help us a lot, he will play games, he will start games and all these kinds of things. It’s all good, he had already three or four games now for us in a very short period. That is what counts, it is not a short-term project. Wataru is a super-important part of the squad and I am really happy to have him.”