Video shows Liverpool players' actions when Wataru Endo was subbed on for debut | OneFootball

Making your debut for a new club - especially one the size of Liverpool - is a nerve-wracking time for all, but Liverpool showing their new signing Wataru Endo heaps of encouragement when coming on to make his mark is incredibly wholesome.

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The Japan international was signed by the Merseyside-based outfit for £16.2m and replaced Cody Gakpo just after the hour mark in their affair against Liverpool to make his Premier League bow.

After failing to snare Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, who both chose to ply their trade for Chelsea rather than the Reds, Jurgen Klopp turned his attention to Endo as a midfield reinforcement.

The 30-year-old has been brought in to add some defensive grit to an engine room that certainly doesn’t have it in abundance.

Endo had registered 133 games for his former employers VfB Stuttgart before his high-profile move, including 33 Bundesliga games from last season, and was the club’s shining light in their tumultuous season.

Klopp will want his latest recruit to have the same influence for his side, too, as the German will view this season as reinstating Liverpool as top four contenders.

And it seems as if the current Liverpool roster understand how big of a role Endo has to play this campaign and ensured to show him bundles of support before gracing the Anfield grass for the first time.

You can view the wholesome clip below…

Watch: Liverpool players comfort Wataru Endo before he makes his debut

Liverpool supporter @TheVVDRole posted the clip to his Twitter feed, and it has since gone viral as the fanbase are relishing the fact that a sense of togetherness and belonging surrounds the club.

Coming onto the pitch as the nervous Anfield faithful looked on after sealing their third goal is not the ideal time for Endo to make his first impressions considering he wasn’t able to receive the entire crowd appreciation a player typically would receive on their debut.

However, as he readied himself to finally prove his worth, a flurry of players were on hand to rally around their new recruit.

On the side-lines, Klopp can be seen offering a series of instructions given wholesale changes to their approach was imminent upon his introduction, while Stefan Bajcetic gave him a tap on his back to show his support, too.

Andy Robertson came over to also give Endo an embrace alongside a few words of encouragement as he geared up to replace Gakpo with shy of 30 minutes remaining on the clock.

When making his first steps as a Reds player, goalscorer Diogo Jota and captaincy duo Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk were also present to gear up the former Stuttgart ace.

How did Wataru Endo perform on his debut?

Endo began his career with a statement against Bournemouth, though the result was already settled before he entered the fray.

Granted, it wasn’t the introduction that anyone associated with the club would have hoped; but when push came to shove, Klopp opted to give him his first minutes earlier than first hoped.

Endo came into the fold after Alexis Mac Allister was shown a red card after two yellow card offences which, in turn, forced Klopp to change his blueprint. As such, the Japan national team captain was introduced to add defensive solidity to Liverpool as the Reds reverted to a 4-4-1 shape to defend their lead.

The clip above shows that Endo brought a sense of security to the Liverpool side while keeping things simple in his passing.

The midfielder, before the fixture, was partaking in a pre-match drill with his fellow substitutes and fans were quick to notice how well he performed from a defensive standpoint.

You can watch the clip of the rondo below – and just see how little time Endo was tasked with being in the middle before sniffing out a pass.

What did Jurgen Klopp say about Wataru Endo’s debut?

Liverpool chief Klopp claimed that Endo’s first game in Liverpool colours came under “horrible” circumstances given how the game unfortunately played out.

“First game, coming in, I think we saw that Harvey [Elliott], who’s in a really good moment, came on in this game as well and was running left and right and the heart rate was 240 [BPM].” the German tactician said, per ThisIsAnfield.

“[It would have been] pretty much the same for Endo. The two days he had – no surprise!

“He did absolutely alright, but he came there and had absolutely no clue what to do.

“I spoke this morning with him about how, with 11 players, his position would look. A 4-4-1 was not involved in our conservation. That’s it now.

“I don’t think he slept a lot in the last two nights, so he came on and he threw everything he had on the pitch. That’s it.”

And although Endo agreed that he has to accept the unfortunate nature of his debut, he still made reference to how special it was.

“I am an experienced player, so I need to accept and deal with even this situation,” he exclaimed after making his debut. “It was hard, but it was special for me.”

What can Liverpool fans expect from Wataru Endo?

Endo’s arrival is to alleviate Liverpool’s desire to reinvent a midfield that is clearly lacklustre and needs that extra bite, which is an aspect that is typically overlooked in the centre of the park.

He averaged a 6.99 SofaScore match rating in the German top division last term, while scoring and assisting five apiece during that sequence.

Also experienced on the international stage, Endo will bring heaps of leadership from his time donning the captain’s armband for Japan, who he has represented a whopping 50 times.

Having lost voice through the departures of Jordan Henderson and James Milner, having figures such as Endo both on and off the pitch will only enhance Klopp’s vision of returning to greatness tenfold.

Next up for the Premier League club – and in particular, Endo – is an all-important test away from home against Newcastle United where the new face will be hoping to hit the ground running in his new environment with his first start for the club.