Liverpool new signing admits he was 'surprised' by his summer move to the Reds

Liverpool's new signing Waturo Endo has opened up on his move to Anfield during the summer transfer window. The midfielder confessed that he was surprised by the switch as he wasn't expecting to join the Merseysiders at the time.

After losing a number of key players in the midfield department in the summer, Liverpool decided to reinforce the positions. This led to the introduction of a couple of midfielders including the likes of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and of course Waturo Endo.

The Japanese ended his three-year spell with Bundesliga outfit VfB Stuttgart to complete the move, which was valued at £16 million. He went on to sign a four-year deal with the Reds and made his debut off the bench during a 3-1 victory over Bournemouth.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Endo reflected on his move to Anfield in the summer, explaining how it caught him by surprise.

"I thought I still had the chance to talk to a team," the midfielder said. "I'm not young but all of the top teams can sign youngsters in the first position but if they didn't get the chance to sign the young players maybe they want experienced players."

"That's what I was thinking in the summer, and that actually happened. I was a bit surprised. I really wanted to move but it was the end of August and I was like, maybe I don't get the chance. I was a bit surprised," he added.

Endo made his Premier League debut against Bournemouth on August 19 before facing Newcastle United in a hard-fought 2-1 victory three days later. Since then, he's made four more appearances for the Reds in the English top flight, amassing a total of 117 minutes of playing time.

The Japanese attempted to clarify the difference between English football and what he experienced during his time in the German Bundesliga.

"Everything's different: physical, technique, speed," he said.

"It's the Premier League. Of course, I don't play a lot of games in the Premier League but when I played against Newcastle, it was a very tough game for me. It’s a lot of speed, everything is different," added the Japanese midfielder.

Endo recently scored his first goal for Liverpool in a 5-1 win over Toulouse in the UEFA Europa League on October 26.

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What's next for Waturo Endo and Liverpool?

Wataru Endo featured in his side's 2-1 victory at Bournemouth in the fourth round of the EFL Cup last time out. He will be hoping to get involved once again when Liverpool lock horns with Luton Town in the Premier League on Sunday, November 5.

The 30-year-old has so far made 11 appearances for the Merseysiders across all competitions, contributing one goal and one assist. His only strike so far came in the 5-1 battering of Toulouse in the Europa League this month.

Liverpool meanwhile, are still actively competing across the Premier League, the Europa League, the EFL Cup as well as the FA Cup this season. After a trophyless 2022-23 season, they will be hoping to get back to winning ways this season.