Liverpool could sign their next Endo in £30m powerhouse as summer transfer deemed ‘possible’ | OneFootball

When Liverpool signed Wataru Endo from Stuttgart in August 2023, it was a transfer which met with relatively little fanfare at the time.

Having just been eclipsed by Chelsea for long-time targets Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, some may have viewed the £16m acquisition of the then 30-year-old as nothing more than a consolation prize.

However, the Japan captain has proven to be such a valued and popular player at Anfield that the Reds could be in line to raid the MHP Arena again for a prospective long-term successor.

Liverpool reportedly interested in Angelo Stiller

In his latest Fact Files column for the Daily Briefing, Christian Falk reported of Liverpool’s interest in another defensive midfielder at Stuttgart who’s projected to cost almost twice as much as Endo but could potentially be attainable this summer.

The Bundesliga insider wrote: “Liverpool are interested in Angelo Stiller. Stiller has a release clause in his contract – valued at €36m [£30.2m] – which comes into play in 2026.

“We heard about interest from Liverpool, so they are watching him. It would be possible to get him in 2026. Of course, if they come in with a big offer this summer, it would also be possible to sign him early.”

(Photo by Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images)

Could Liverpool replicate Endo coup with a move for Stiller?

Would Stiller be a viable long-term replacement for Endo in the number 6 role at Liverpool?

A decade younger than the Reds midfielder, he turns 22 next month and would therefore represent an option for the long-term, just like another rumoured transfer target in Monaco’s Lamine Camara.

Despite primarily playing at the base of midfield, the German’s main strength is actually in terms of progressing the play for his own team rather than breaking up opposition attacks.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 2% of positional peers in Europe’s five main leagues over the past year for progressive passes per game (9.23) and the top 8% for shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (3.89). However, he fails to crack the 45th percentile for defensive metrics such as tackles, blocks, interceptions and aerial duels won per match.

Despite playing in a similar position to Endo and potentially replicating the move from Stuttgart to Liverpool, Stiller wouldn’t quite be a clone of the Reds’ number 3 – offering a different range of skill sets to the Japanese warrior – although the similarity of the prospective transfer is uncanny.

The likelihood is that, with Arne Slot already having an abundance of high-quality midfield options and the German’s release clause taking effect next year, he could be content to wait out for the summer of 2026 if the 21-year-old is still performing to a high standard and remains available.

In the meantime, it’s worth keeping an eye on his progress in the Bundesliga to see whether he could possibly develop into a powerhouse of a defensive midfielder for LFC in future years.